Opening up opportunities

In addition to encouraging sustainable travel behaviours among young people, the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme also aimed to open up social, education, employment and leisure opportunities. Again, a series of expected outcomes were identified to help support this, including:

  • Young people have increased access to services;
  • Improved access to education and employment opportunities; and
  • Improved access to social and leisure opportunities/activities.

Independence and Autonomy

One of the main benefits identified of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme was increased independence, autonomy, confidence and responsibility for young people. Over two thirds (69%) of follow-up survey respondents said the scheme had allowed them to travel and to do so more often without an adult, and focus group respondents frequently identified increased independence and personal responsibility as a benefit of the scheme:

“She [daughter] can take the bus to anywhere in town now and doesn't have to rely on parents to take her. It has encouraged her to be more responsible and take responsibility, e.g. looking up timetables on the app and planning journeys.” (Follow-up survey)

For those living on islands, it was felt that being able to travel locally for free by bus would also help prepare young people for travel on the mainland:

“I think it will really increase their independence and confidence being able to move around the island, so that when they do leave the island to go to college or university, they might already have the confidence to do that elsewhere as well.” (Parent/Carer of Scheme User)

Accessing Opportunities

Easier to Access Opportunities

Comparison of the baseline and follow-up survey data showed a notable drop in the rates of respondents encountering difficulties in accessing opportunities or activities due to travel restrictions. While 29% of baseline survey respondents perceived that they/their child missed out on opportunities or activities before the introduction of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme, this had reduced to 15% of follow-up respondents after the scheme was launched.

Newly Accessible Opportunities

Follow-up survey respondents who used the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme indicated that they travelled to new places, as follows:

  • 57% for social and leisure activities;
  • 43% for apprenticeship or training programme;
  • 42% for shopping;
  • 37% for visiting family and friends;
  • 25% for school/college/university;
  • 17% for job/work; and
  • 16% for healthcare.

In addition, just over a third (34%) of the follow-up survey respondents stated that they had been able to access new opportunities and activities as a result of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme. Again, social, leisure and club-based activities were the most frequently cited ‘new opportunities’. However, there was also evidence of the scheme opening up new opportunities for education and work, with both survey and focus group respondents sharing examples of this:

“College - free bus travel allows me to attend as otherwise wouldn't afford it.” (Follow-up survey)

“When I was looking for a job, I wasn’t limiting myself just to my town. I was increasing it to where the bus journeys might take me, so I would get more opportunities.” (Scheme User)

Several professional stakeholders also stressed the importance of the scheme in supporting young people to access, and then remain engaged in, further and higher education. They perceived the scheme to be a ‘leveller’, providing greater equality in access, and supporting students to continue with their studies by removing the financial travel barrier:

“Our students face so many barriers and their previous travel allowance would be spent on other things, which meant they had no money to travel to classes, now they know they can always have their bus pass to travel to college.” (Skills, Training and Education Organisation)

A few professional stakeholders also suggested that there had been a positive impact on employment in local areas as young people could now access job opportunities more easily.

Increased/improved access to other services/activities were also identified, including the ability to access support services:

“Social Work have been able to take advantage of this. Families that couldn’t afford placements for young people with additional needs have now been able to get to workshops, placements, etc.” (Local Authority)

Even where young people reported that they were not going to ‘new’ places, they still welcomed being able to make journeys more independently and more frequently.

Missing out on the Opportunities of the Scheme

Respondents who felt that they were missing out on opportunities generally cited that this was due to a lack of local bus services, or other issues with the service provided, such as infrequent, time limited, or unreliable services, unsuitable routes, or long journey times. Problems with bus/public transport were particularly acute for those living in villages and rural areas. Those living on islands also flagged limitations due to the lack of suitable/regular bus services, which was exacerbated by the cost and lack of availability of ferries.

Among the respondents who had previously used the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme but had stopped (for any reason), 28% indicated they had lost access to opportunities as a result. Again, this mostly related to the loss of social, leisure and activity-based opportunities, however, a few also noted difficulties in getting to school, and others outlined negative impacts on their employment:

“Had to give up a job in [city] as the travel costs to commute made the job unsustainable in terms of earnings.” (Follow-up survey)