Green Party Councillors are calling for bus travel to be free for the under 22s in Sheffield.
The campaign was announced in the city by Green Party leader Zack Polanski on a visit to Sheffield in January.
Free bus travel for the under 22s is already in place in Scotland following a successful proposal by Scottish Greens when they were part of the Scottish Government. The scheme was introduced in January 2022 following an agreement between the Greens and SNP in the 2021 Scottish Budget.
In Scotland free bus travel for the under 22s has resulted in over 274 million free journeys, significantly reducing travel costs for young people while boosting access to education, work, and social activities.
Hillsborough Councillor Christine Gilligan-Kubo, who proposed the motion at Sheffield Full Council, said,
“If free bus travel is possible for the under 22s across Scotland, why not Sheffield?
“Research by consultancy KPMG estimates that nationally bus passengers spend £39 billion in the high street annually in local businesses; and that over 2.2 million commuters use buses to get to work, generating £72 billion in collective income each year. The same analysis also said that every £1 invested in bus services would yield an economic benefit ranging from £4.55 to £5. So, boosting passenger numbers has a positive effect on the local economy.
“It is also worth noting that last August a cross-party group of MPs on the Commons Transport Select Committee called for under 22s in England to get free bus passes.”
Broomhill and Sharrow Vale Councillor Maleiki Haybe, who seconded the proposal, said,
“Life can be difficult for young people with high rents, low wages, insecure employment and the prospect of student debt. Free bus travel for the under 22s is something that helps make things easier for young people, who are often ignored and not valued by politicians.
“We want the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to consider raising the age of the free bus travel pilot for under 18s to under 22s and conduct a feasibility study and cost-benefit analysis of providing free bus passes to under 22s as part of its growth plan.”
