The Council is reminding residents and visitors to Rhondda Cynon Taf that cheaper bus travel will again be applied throughout this year’s festive period! Single journeys within the County Borough will cost no more than £1.50 across all bus operators, applying for the entire month of December 2025.
Subsidised bus travel will run from Monday, December 1, to Wednesday, December 31, inclusive. This is the eighth occasion since summer 2023 that the Council has offered residents cheaper access to public transport in this way – using funding secured from UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.
The measure has previously been well received, and is intended to reduce economic barriers that may prevent people from catching the bus. It has been targeted during key times of the year, like school holidays and festive periods. The £1.50 offer was last applied in the six-week summer holiday in 2025.
As usual, the upcoming December 2025 offer will apply to all bus journeys that start and end within the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough boundary. It is being adopted by all local bus operators and will apply from the first service to the last service of each day – with no time restrictions being put in place.
During the offer period, concessionary pass holders must scan their passes as normal. All journeys that start or end outside of the Rhondda Cynon Taf boundary will not receive the offer, and will be subject to the normal full fee.
Don’t forget, bus fares for 5 to 21-year-olds are currently being capped at a maximum cost of £1 for a single journey, thanks to Welsh Government. All 16-21 year-olds need to show a valid ‘My Travel Pass’ to take advantage, while under-16s simply need to buy a single child bus ticket. This offer for young people will be unaffected by the Council’s local initiative in December 2025.
Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Investment, said: “I’m pleased the Council is again able to offer cheaper bus travel for residents and visitors to Rhondda Cynon Taf, being applied to all local journeys. This is thanks to continuing funding we’ve secured from the Shared Prosperity Fund. It will repeat the £1.50 maximum bus fare introduced in the school summer holiday, and will provide a substantial saving for bus users during December 2025.
“Our subsidised bus travel will once again run alongside our free festive parking offer in Aberdare and Pontypridd, which will be available in all Council car parks after 10am each day in December. These initiatives aim to help residents and families during the festive period, which can be an expensive time of the year – while also encouraging people to Shop Local and give a boost to our high street and town centre traders across the County Borough.
“Encouraging people to catch the bus in their everyday journeys has several other advantages, from reducing the number of vehicles on our roads and improving traffic congestion to reducing journey times and protecting the environment. Bus operators have seen a noticeable rise in customer numbers during previous offers – as we aim to break economic barriers that prevent people from using the bus, at a time when the cost of living remains high.
“The Council continues to welcome funding support made available by the UK Government through its Shared Prosperity Fund. We secured £1.2 million last year, plus an extra £1 million for the current year (2025/26), enabling us to continue to bring forward cheaper bus travel during key times of the year.”
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, from the UK Government, has been allocated to Local Authorities to help introduce initiatives that will reduce the cost of living for residents. This will be achieved through measures that improve energy efficiency, and combat fuel poverty and climate change.
Posted on 18/11/2025