A parliamentary report suggests providing free bus passes to individuals under 22 in England, aiming to improve access to employment and education opportunities.
The report highlights a decline in bus ridership across England in recent years, coupled with fare increases that outpace inflation.
MPs have identified this trend as a barrier to opportunity and economic growth, particularly in certain regions, and recommend a pilot program offering free, unrestricted bus travel to those under 22.
In response, the Department for Transport has stated its commitment to improving bus services nationwide through “£1bn in multi-year funding to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country”.
Notably, Scotland has already implemented a similar initiative, granting free bus travel to all residents aged 5 to 22 since January 2022.
The Transport Committee’s report indicates a significant decrease in bus passenger journeys in England, falling from 4.6 billion in 2009 to 3.6 billion in 2024.
The report also points out that some smaller towns and rural areas lack adequate bus services, with routes being either nonexistent or too infrequent to be considered viable transportation options.
A study conducted in 2019 revealed that approximately 57% of job seekers reside in areas where reaching an employment center via bus within 45 minutes is not feasible.
According to the report, “High bus fares and limited local provision can severely restrict young people’s access to education, employment, and other opportunities.”
Alex Mustafa, 19, shares that she relies heavily on buses due to health and financial limitations preventing her from driving, emphasizing the potential benefits of a free bus pass.
“It would also help poorer young people like myself who rely on public transport to better plan for social connections without needing to worry about bus cost on top of how expensive it is to go out as it is,” she said.
Alex recounts instances of waiting over an hour for a bus, leading to tardiness at work and missed social engagements due to cancellations.
“It’s very difficult to live life according to plan when you have to plan around an unreliable schedule. Trains are sometimes better, but they also come with a higher cost and they’re more limiting with location,” she said.
Roman Dibden, chief executive of youth charity Rise Up, highlights the frequency with which young individuals decline job interviews and training opportunities due to unaffordable bus fares.
“Free bus passes for under-22s would remove a huge barrier, opening up access to jobs, apprenticeships, and training – especially in communities where opportunity isn’t on your doorstep.”
Dylan Lewis-Creser, 21, a town planning student and former Green Party candidate, explains that they rely on buses for transportation in Sheffield due to the high cost of driving.
They told the BBC they use the bus quite a lot to travel around Sheffield as driving is too expensive.
“A free bus pass would mean I could get to and from university and work without paying £10 a week, which adds up significantly as a student on a low budget,” they said.
“That cost is amplified when considering changing buses to get to other job opportunities and elsewhere, like hospitals.”
Dylan emphasizes the need for increased dialogue regarding “making transport accessible, affordable and reliable.”
“Part of that would be supporting people who often struggle costs-wise to do that, such as young people,” they said.
“We’ve seen how it’s boosted young people using buses in Scotland, and it only makes sense to extend that policy.”
According to research from KPMG, bus passengers contribute £39.1 billion annually to local businesses.
However, experts informed the Transport Committee that the bus sector’s economic contribution decreased by approximately £8.9 billion between 2011 and 2023.
The report states: “The current deregulated nature of the bus sector can encourage commercial operators to “deprioritise” less profitable routes, often leaving vulnerable communities without a service.”
The committee heard that older people were particularly deterred from using the bus if they felt unsafe at bus stops.
The report recommended improvements to bus stops and shelters such as screen showing real-time information.
Jane Bishop, chief executive of North Norfolk Community Transport, emphasizes the critical role bus services play in enabling individuals to remain in their homes rather than transition to assisted living.
“Most of our passengers are older people, but not all,” she told the BBC. “A lot of people, we’re the only people they see every week.”
“They become friends with the other people on their route so it’s a great tool for combatting loneliness,” Ms Bishop said.
However, she notes that “it’s a lottery whether there is a community transport in your area”.
The cap on bus fares outside London was increased to £3 last year.
The committee suggests that fare caps are most advantageous for individuals in rural areas, as they typically undertake longer journeys or require multiple bus transfers for a single trip.
However, the report criticizes the short-term nature of funding for bus services, asserting that it has “hampered local authorities’ ability to improve services”.
“Five-year settlements in other transport sectors like rail and the strategic road network have enabled greater certainty and promoted strategic planning,” it said. “Bus services, the most widely used form of public transport, require a similar commitment.”
Bus services are devolved in England, meaning they are the responsibility of local authorities. Individual councils could choose to offer concessions to under-22s.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has expressed its support for the committee’s recommendation to discontinue “stop-start funding” for bus services.
A spokesperson said: “Bus services provide an essential mode of public transport in local communities, relied upon by millions of people.
“More work is needed to attract them back onto buses to ensure services are sustainable for our communities. Stop-start funding risks losing passengers, with patronage difficult to recover if and when money is found.”
Steff Aquarone, a Liberal Democrat MP serving on the Transport Committee, asserts that the report highlights the necessity for “a different model for rural public transport”.
He suggests that while local councils may not be able to heavily subsidize bus fares like other countries, “if you put buses on at the time people want to travel, going to places they want to go, people will use them”.
Additional reporting by Kris Bramwell.
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