Cheaper bus fare scheme wheels out this week

Bus passengers in Derbyshire will see daily, weekly and monthly ticket prices slashed from Monday morning.

Adult day passes on services run by High Peak Buses will see the largest reductions by percentage, with an ‘All Zones’ ticket now costing £6 instead of £12.50 - a saving of more than 50 per cent. Its weekly equivalent will cost £18 rather than £33. 

This includes travel on the Transpeak bus to Derby and routes such as the 442 from Buxton to Ashbourne, the 130 between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport, and the 61 from Glossop to Buxton. 

The new tickets form part of the Bus Service Funding Improvement scheme, with £163.5 million going towards subsidised travel across the country. 

“We’re really pleased to be able to offer these tickets at such reduced prices,” said High Peak Buses’ Managing Director, David Brookes.  

“We hope this will encourage people to leave their cars at home and use the bus for both work and leisure travel.  

The network-wide weekly ticket is being reduced from £33 to £18, for example, which is excellent value for a week’s travel over such a wide area”. 

There will also be a North Derbyshire ticket covering everywhere between Dove Holes, Hadfield and Castleton priced at £5 per day or £12 per week for adults, as well as new zonal tickets in Buxton, Macclesfield, and on routes into Greater Manchester. 

“The Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan is working to improve bus travel across Derbyshire, so we’re delighted to be able to partner with High Peak to provide discounted travel for their bus service users,” said Derbyshire County Council’s Cllr Charlotte Cupit. 

“We hope this will encourage people to consider the bus as a travel option, as well as help regular bus users to continue to enjoy savings on their travel.  

“We’re also working on ticketing promotions with other bus operators across Derbyshire, to bring savings to as many bus users as we can.” 

The scheme will last until at least March 31, 2025, while the maximum single bus fare cap in England will rise from £2 to £3 at the turn of the year.