Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen announces a £1 cap on bus fares for under 21s

Prices for single journeys across the region will be slashed for young people from June 16 and capped at £1.

A £3.5million package from the Tees Valley Mayor will fund the £1 fare cap, and it comes following an election pledge made by Conservative Mayor Lord Ben Houchen in January to limit fares to that level for young people.

It was confirmed Lord Houchen would serve a third term as Tees Valley Mayor following the count at Thornaby Pavilion on Friday, May 3, after voters went to the polls the previous day.

Mayor Houchen said: “I’m a man of my word and I am wasting no time in delivering on this promise. We are creating thousands of new jobs and opportunities, and the next phase of my plan is to ensure everyone from across Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool can benefit from these opportunities.

“This scheme will make it easier for young people to access the wave of good quality local jobs and training we’re bringing.”

He continued: “Not only am I delivering on this pledge, but I am going further to make our transport system more affordable by securing agreement from the bus operators for a £3 day ticket for all under 21s.”

Money for the scheme has come from the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) allocation.

Speaking in January when announcing the pledge, Lord Houchen said he believed the move would make the area “better connected and more affordable”.

The £1 cap will apply to passengers aged 21 and under and will also apply to most journeys starting in the Tees Valley and travelling outside the region.

Mayor Houchen, who is also chair of the Hartlepool Development Corporation, added: “Good quality jobs for local people, giving them more money in their pockets, is how we truly transform our area, and this is exactly what I am getting on with delivering just days after being elected.”

The Conservative polled 81,930 votes at the recent Tees Valley Mayor election, 53.64% of the total.

This was ahead of Labour’s Chris McEwan, who received 63,141 votes (41.34%) and Liberal Democrat Simon Thorley who got 7,679 votes (5.03%).