Norwich City Council has suggested that taxpayer cash should be used to subsidise free bus travel for the entire city.
The authority unanimously backed a motion calling on the government to make all bus journeys in Norwich free of charge.
The motion was proposed by Mike Stonard, the Labour leader of the council, who argued that it would provide great benefit to those least well-off and cut carbon emissions by encouraging people out of their cars.
However, political opponents described the proposal as "pie in the sky".
Mr Stonard said: “Capping bus fares at no more than £1 per day would save the poorest 20pc of households in England £0.8bn a year. Making all bus fares in England free would save the poorest 40pc of households £1.5bn a year.”
He accepted the policy came with a hefty £2.3bn a year pricetag, but he argued that was a fraction of the £27b the government is spending on new roads, which would cover the cost of free travel for 10 years.
Judith Lubbock, a Liberal Democrat councillor, did not object to Mr Stonard’s motion, but criticised it as “pie in the sky for this government and probably the next”.
She said: “Do you think Labour will have this free travel policy in their manifesto? I doubt it.”
She also argued the motion was now “out of date” because the government has already reduced bus fares this year – albeit temporarily - with a £2 cap on a journey.
Ms Lubbock went so far as to say that the Labour administration was being “hard” on the Conservative administration at Norfolk County Council, which she praised for bringing 70 new electric buses.
It was unanimously agreed Mr Stonard will write to the government.
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