Bus journeys in England will be capped at £2 from January to March in an effort to ease the rising cost of living.

From Sunday, single bus fares will be capped at £2 throughout Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire as part of a long-term scheme.The Department for Transport (DfT) have said that the £60m plan could see passengers saving more than £3 per single bus ticket.Transport secretary Grant Shapps, has argued that this policy will provide "direct help" to thousands of households throughout the UK.The government plan to extend the scheme across England across January and through to March.This comes at a time when many households are worried about the mounting energy bills.

These are expected to rise to £3,549 a year from October and could see further increases in January. Mr Shapps has stated that: "Buses are by far and away the most used form of public transport, so ensuring that almost all bus journeys are no more than £2 will assist passengers over the winter months and provide direct help to thousands of households across this country."

"This £60 million boost will mean everyone can affordably get to work, education, the shops and doctors' appointments."However, Labour MP and shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh has criticised the scheme and suggested that the government have not gone far enough to help those in England."The government's temporary 90-day reprieve after years of soaring fares fails to match the scale of the crisis."Passengers across the country facing a cost-of-living emergency need more than half measures."