Embedding sustainable travel behaviours

One of the main aims of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme was to embed positive sustainable travel behaviours. In order to support this, a series of expected outcomes were specified, including:

• Increased numbers of young people registering for a card/being aware of the scheme;
• Increased awareness of bus as a viable travel option;
• Increased awareness of bus as a viable travel option amongst young women;
• Fewer young people learning to drive;
• Journeys which would have been made by car (driving/lift from parents etc.) being made by bus; and
• Reduction in private car kilometres.

Awareness and Uptake

Awareness of the scheme was high among young people and parents/carers - 86% of follow-up survey respondents had heard of the scheme, compared to 10% who had not heard of it and 4% who were not sure.

Uptake data indicated that the total national uptake rate was 59% among all 5-21 year olds at the end of April 2023. This ranged from 53% of 5-15 year olds to 70% of 16-21 year olds. Large variations were also found between local authorities. Uptake was also high among survey respondents, where 74% had signed up and used the scheme. A further 8% had signed up but had either stopped using it or had not used it yet, while 15% had not signed up.

The main reasons eligible young people had not signed up for the scheme included that they had not heard of it (22%), that the application process had been off-putting (15%), issues with bus services (14%), that they preferred other modes of transport (13%), and that the child was felt to be too young (11%). Those who had previously used the scheme but stopped noted that this was mainly because they had turned 22 years old and were no longer eligible (45%), followed by, again, issues with local bus services (16%), and the young person not thinking it was safe enough (14%).

Focus group respondents also highlighted a lack of suitable bus services as a key reason for not using the scheme. Many suggested that there were no buses available nearby, or that they took too long/were too slow, were unreliable, or did not go to where they wanted/needed to go.

Use of the Scheme

Usage data showed that a total of 62,178,745 trips had been made using the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme between January 2022 and April 2023. Over half of these (59%) were taken by 16-21 year olds, with females generating a higher proportion of the trips than males (46% and 39% respectively).

Follow-up survey respondents who used the scheme also indicated high levels of usage, with 78% using the free bus travel at least weekly. This consisted of 38% who used it five days a week or more, and 40% who used it at least once or twice a week.

Hands Up Scotland Survey data showed that bus use had increased slightly for travel to school since the introduction of the scheme. Similarly, the proportions of survey respondents using the bus had also increased (between the baseline and follow-up survey) across all journey purposes specified. The largest increase was use of bus for social and leisure activities, where bus use rose by 12 percentage points from an average of 33% before the scheme’s introduction to 45% afterwards:

“I definitely use it [the bus] more and I never really used a bus before it came out.” (Scheme User)

Many professional stakeholders also indicated that there had been an increase in the number of young people both travelling by bus and travelling more often since the introduction of the scheme.

Impact on Other Transport Modes

While bus use among young people was shown to have increased since the introduction of the scheme, comparison of the baseline and follow-up survey data showed that car use had declined across nearly all journey purposes. Journeys which showed the biggest change in car use included visiting family and friends (a 10 percentage point decrease), and for social and leisure activities (a nine percentage point drop).

While official statistics around car use were not available for the post-implementation evaluation period, there was a strong perception among research participants that car use had reduced. Young people, parents/carers, and professional stakeholders indicated that young people needed to be driven or given lifts less often as a result of the scheme:

“I’m an avid car user myself, but since the introduction of the travel cards it’s been fantastic because now I would say that the majority of the travel that goes on, I would probably say about 90% of it, has changed from car to buses.” (Parent/Carer of Scheme User)

There was also some evidence from ScotRail data analysis, albeit limited in scope, and a comparison of the baseline and follow-up surveys that indicated train use had decreased among young people since the scheme was introduced.

Learning to Drive

DVSA data showed that driving test rates for those aged 17-21 had increased between 2021-22 and 2022-23 (i.e. pre- and post-implementation of the scheme), with rates now similar to or above pre-Covid-19 levels. Similarly, comparison of the baseline and follow-up survey data showed a six percentage point increase in the proportions aged 17-21 who either drove or were learning to drive. However, a significant backlog in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and capacity for driving lessons and tests will further impact numbers. This may hide the impact of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme on the desire to learn to drive.

However, there was evidence among focus group respondents that the introduction of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme had impacted some young people’s desire and enthusiasm for learning to drive. Several noted that they either planned to delay lessons, or had dropped out of lessons upon signing up to the scheme:

“I think it’s delayed the desire to learn. My son is 17 and is now able to apply for his provisional driving licence, and he literally has said to me, ‘I’m in no rush as I’ve got my free bus pass, I can get anywhere’… It’s definitely holding him off learning to drive.” (Parent/Carer of Scheme User)

Others, however, remained enthusiastic about starting driving lessons as soon as possible, either because it was considered necessary, or they felt this was a valuable life skill that provided greater autonomy.

Environmental Awareness

In addition to convenience and cost savings as reasons for delaying learning to drive, several focus group respondents noted that they/their young person were also conscious of the environmental benefits of bus use over cars. It was felt the scheme supported young people to make more environmentally friendly travel choices:

“I feel so much better taking the bus compared to the car because of the greenness and feeling that it is more environmentally friendly.” (Scheme User)