Cut-price travel on buses has been welcomed by environmental charity Friends of the Dales - and it hopes more people will take the opportunity to get out into the countryside

The Government's 'Get Around for £2' scheme, which was launched on January 1 and will run until the end of March, means bus operators can charge no more than £2 for single journeys.

Friends of the Dales, based in Gargrave, financially supports the social enterprise bus network, DalesBus, and says sustainable travel is one of its ambitions for the area.

Paul Chattwood, its volunteer finance director, said: “The £2 single fare is a great offer and we are hoping it will tempt the uninitiated to try public transport as a new means of getting into and around the Dales.

"For example, the Craven Connection bus 580 runs every hour all day Monday to Saturdays between Skipton and Settle, with alternate buses continuing on to Clapham, Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale, offering fabulous opportunities for walks and sightseeing in the Ingleborough area.

"A return fare was up to £11 on these services, but from now until the end of March it is £2 each way, all the way through."

He added: “Another good route to try out is the Wensleydale Flyer service 856, which has three return journeys every Sunday linking Northallerton, Bedale, Leyburn, Aysgarth and Hawes, providing a relaxing car free and parking free way to visit Hawes, home of the Wensleydale Creamery and Dales Countryside Museum. The return fare for this service was up to £10, now it’s just £2 each way.”

Friends of the Dales has campaigned for around 15 years for subsidised bus travel, saying it is a vital part of a sustainable future for the Dales and crucial to widening access to nature for people from all backgrounds.

Mr Chattwood said: “DalesBus weekend services aren’t supported by North Yorkshire County Council’s transport budget which means we need to raise around £150,000 every year to fund our Sunday and bank holiday services. "Without the hard work of volunteers in securing sponsorship and grants and the generosity of donors like Friends of the Dales, these services would not exist, denying many people from West Yorkshire, Lancashire and the North East access to the Yorkshire Dales National Park at peak leisure times."

Ann Shadrake, executive director of the charity added: “Whilst we welcome this short term subsidy from the Government, long term funding is what is really required to secure the future of these routes and encourage more people to use them and trust them.”

Further information about bus services in the Dales is available at www.dalesbus.org. To find out more about Friends of the Dales visit: www.friendsofthedales.org.uk