The new Prime Minister has announced plans to put the country on an 'accelerated path' to integrated public transport, mirroring the Greater Manchester Bee Network.
The system would see local buses, trams, and trains link together under a single system for ticketing and scheduling, allowing for a daily or weekly cap to be placed on how much people pay.
Travellers in London can currently use an Oyster or contactless bank card to tap on and off various modes of transport, while major bus stations are often conveniently placed outside stops on the Underground.
As Mayor of Greater Manchester, the Prime Minister introduced the publicly controlled Bee Network with a similar goal in mind.
The Prime Minister aims to see this system implemented across all of England, integrating buses and trains and trams where they exist into a single system.
This would allow people to take as many buses and trains as they like and only pay up to a certain level, mirroring the London transport network.
The Prime Minister said: 'I'd love to see this across all of England, integrating buses and trains and trams where they exist into a single system.'
Speaking in Bath to launch the new £2 bus fare cap for England, the Prime Minister said the same cap on Manchester buses was 'probably the most popular thing I ever introduced.'
He said: 'It's just simple, it helps people every day, it encourages people out of their cars, it connects people to jobs and training.'
London's Oyster card system has been running since 2003, allowing travellers to easily pay for fares on various modes of transport.
In 2024, the fare cap would rise from £2 to £3 as funding for the original policy was set to expire.
The Prime Minister soon responded by saying he would be keeping the cap intact for Greater Manchester, saying it would 'help our residents in these difficult times.'
This morning's announcement will apply to fares for participating buses in England from January 1 next year until the end of 2027.
It means bus riders will not face a significant hike in price, with some parts of the country facing fares of £15 for a single trip without a cap.
The Prime Minister said the measure would be funded through 'reprioritisation' of government cash, adding: 'I'm not making commitments that I can't pay for.'
According to Downing Street, the money will be lifted from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero budget, by using underspends and switching international climate finance investments to loans.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'We're cutting fares by a third to help with the cost of living, open up opportunities and keep people connected to work, school, healthcare and their friends and family.'
In London, a single bus ride costs £1.75 with no extra charge for other rides taken within an hour. The daily cap on fares is £5.25.
Beyond Manchester and the capital, other areas with integrated transport networks are Tyne & Wear and Nottingham.
