Children to get free bus travel for the summer

Children under the age of 16 are to be offered free bus travel across the summer.

It is expected to benefit up to 150,000 children living in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset.

The offer, backed by the West of England Combined Authority and funded through a £13.5m government transport grant, will run from 19 July to 5 September. Bus travel for children aged from five to 15 is currently capped at £1 per journey.

The new regional mayor, Labour's Helen Godwin, said she wanted families to have "something to look forward to" in the summer. The move was backed by Bristol's Green council.

Mrs Godwin launched the initiative at a play park in Hengrove, describing it as a much-needed boost for families facing mounting living costs.

"We really want all families across the West of England to have something to look forward to this summer," she said. "Hopefully this will feel like a bit of a help."

The mother of three highlighted the burden transport costs place on families. "If my husband and three kids wanted to go and do something, you're talking about over £15 for us to go out. It's quite a lot of money."

The initiative is designed to help children visit friends, explore local attractions, and access free summer events.

Kate Marsh, the head teacher of Perry Court E-ACT Academy, said the offer would be "fantastic" for families who rely on buses.

"It opens up a lot more options to them - visiting parks, family, museums and seeing friends… This will help with mental wellbeing as well as a benefit for their education."

The scheme, which still requires final approval, builds on a wider push to boost public transport use. It follows a recent birthday-month free bus pass scheme for all West of England residents.

Bristol City Council leader and Green Party councillor Tony Dyer said the plan would reduce barriers for young people seeking out opportunities.

"We fully support this initiative… With so many events and activities happening across Bristol this summer, this will help make accessing them much easier."

The free travel scheme will apply to most local services, though some, such as airport routes, will be exempt.

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