Conclusion

Key Impacts

One of the main impacts of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme were generally considered to be the financial benefits for young people and their families. It was felt that the scheme had removed the cost barrier to travel and transport, and had helped to remove the anxiety and stress associated with financial concerns related to travel and transport. It was felt to be particularly supportive for families during the current cost of living crisis, and especially so for those experiencing poverty.

Other equally important impacts were that the scheme was considered to have provided young people with increased freedom, independence and the ability to access more services, opportunities and activities both locally and further afield. Importantly, it was felt that the scheme provided equality of opportunity for young people, regardless of their financial circumstances, with the universal nature of the eligibility criteria said to ensure that no stigma was attached to using the scheme.

Secondary to these elements, the scheme was also felt to be more widely supportive in a range of different ways. This included:

• Being supportive to bus operators as they recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and associated drop in passenger numbers;
• Encouraging more family travel by bus; and
• Bringing wider economic benefits to local areas as young people and their families had more disposable income to spend on other things or in shops/on services when using the bus to get around.

Respondents were also optimistic that the scheme would result in a reduction in car use, and a more sustainable modal shift towards bus use among young people, which would also then result in environmental and climate change benefits.

Several elements, however, were identified which will need to be monitored going forward, including instances of anti-social behaviour and how this can be tackled, capacity issues on some routes/services, and the impact the scheme has on school transport provision. Further, potential difficulties or inequalities in access also need to be considered going forward, both in relation to the application process and the provision/accessibility of quality bus services, with perceptions that those in rural and island areas are particularly disadvantaged in this respect. Calls for the scheme to be extended to include ferry and train travel were also common in certain geographic locations, and it was felt that the age range should be extended to include all those up to the age of 26 and/or all students regardless of age, with other vulnerable groups also given consideration.

Conclusion

Overall, the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme has been well received, with most professional stakeholders generally viewing it as a positive policy. While a few challenges were noted in relation to the implementation of the scheme, and some negative unintended consequences were identified, stakeholders appeared, on the whole, to suggest that the benefits largely outweighed the negatives.

Although empirical and verifiable evidence of actual impacts from stakeholders was limited, with some relying on perceptions or expectations, many of the expected outcomes appear to be achieving positive progress or are being met. Others, however, will require ongoing and longer-term monitoring to determine any impacts and the extent of any changes. Results should also be considered alongside the findings in the Year One Evaluation Report which will provide a more holistic view of experiences of the scheme. Overall, the scheme is undoubtably perceived to have had a positive impact on young people and the families across its first year of implementation.