Bus Fare Cap: Central Power versus Local Control

Britain’s £3 bus-fare cap has been a rare political hit—popular with passengers and hailed as proof that public transport can be affordable again. But in this episode, we explore why the policy also exposes a contradiction at the heart of Labour’s promise to devolve power. By imposing a blunt national cap, the government undercuts local control just as cities like Manchester fight to rebuild their own bus networks. We unpack why London’s publicly run buses thrive while deregulated routes elsewhere collapse—and ask whether scrapping the cap and handing the money to local leaders might actually deliver better, fairer transport where it’s needed most.https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/10/10/labour-is-reluctant-to-get-off-the-bus