Bus fares are being capped at £2 by 130 operators outside of London to help passengers with the cost of living crisis.
The Department for Transport is funding the £60m scheme, which will put an upper limit on single journeys.
Currently the average single bus fare in England costs £2.80 – but can rise to more than £5 in rural areas where services are sparse.
Now 130 bus companies, including National Express and Stagecoach, will commit to capping one-way fares at £2. The scheme does not apply to London.
Children’s tickets are also being frozen at £1 for a single journey.
The government initiative hopes to help passengers get to work, school and appointments more cheaply amid 10.1% inflation.
Buses minister Richard Holden said: “Brits love buses. They’re the most popular form of public transport in England, making up half of all journeys.
“The scheme will also take two million car journeys off the road and it’s fantastic to see so many bus operators signing up.”
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National Express chief executive Tom Stables added: “More people using buses is good for the economy, environment and wider society.
“Bus travel is simple, cheap and easy and there’s never been a better time to get onboard.”
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