Prior to the short term reduced fare of £2, I am pretty sure it used to be £8 whether you went one stop or the length of Cumbria. There were family and group reductions, and you could break your journey into sections, but it was still not at all cheap. I had just got my old age bus pass when Covid came along, so I have never used it.

I think in Germany it is 9 Euro per month for unlimited train travel, apart from the real quickies.

Cheap and efficient travel should be regarded as a social service, and not just for those who use it. And the planet would thank us.