Copyright birminghammail
A major rule change to free bus passes has been scrapped by the Labour Party government. A proposed plan to trial free bus passes for young people under 22 years old has been dismissed by the government due to being “unaffordable”. The Transport Select Committee made the recommendation in a report published in August, suggesting that the government pilot a free bus pass for under-22s, valid for travel at any time of day. In a response published on Friday, 31 October, the government said that while it recognises the benefits of free travel for under-22s, expanding concessionary travel would be “unaffordable” at present. READ MORE SUV drivers face new 'premium' to park their cars in part of UK The government said that it is currently “operating in a challenging fiscal environment”, and the future funding for bus services has already been allocated for this period. Transport Committee chair, Ruth Cadbury MP, said: “When the government announced its bus sector reforms last year it spoke of an ‘overhaul’ and a ‘revolution’. "But its approach now looks lacking in ambition, and it is hard to shake the feeling that an opportunity may be missed, particularly to improve services in rural and underserved communities. “Throughout our inquiry we heard about the consequences of poor connectivity. Young people unable to get their first jobs or taking exhausting journeys to reach school or college. "Older and disabled people feeling isolated and depressed, and high streets starved of customers. “Any serious attempt to revive services and make public transport equitable across the country will need new funding. And yet the most targeted proposals for how to provide funding where it would make the most difference are shrugged off with a suggestion that no decision will likely come before the next Spending Review – not for another three years,” she said. “The Bus Services Act is a positive and necessary start to the work of reviving bus services, but it cannot be the last word,” she said. “Local authorities need more opportunity, funding and incentives to grow their networks and passenger numbers.”
