The Times reports on how bus companies are abandoning the £150 million Transport for the North integrated travel scheme, intended to allow passengers to use the same contactless bank card for journeys on buses, trains and trams, with a fixed cap on charges.

The programme, which was intended to give people access to cheap public transport across the region, will now focus purely on rail and tram travel after major bus operators refused to take part.

Similarly, PoliticsHome interviewed Go-Ahead, a UK-based public transport company whose franchises include Govia Thameslink Railway, Southeastern, and 5000 buses. They argued that buses are an enabler for inclusive economic growth, tackling social isolation and reducing emissions, despite the fact that buses in England outside London have had a 12% reduction in passenger numbers over the last ten years.

Full articles:

The Times - Bus companies abandon Transport for the North integrated travel scheme

PoliticsHome - Buses are more than a utility - they enable improvements across society