Trailblazing plans for young people’s travel ticket to go up to 18 go to Committee
ALL young people 18 and under will benefit from cheaper
bus travel after elected Members approved recommendations to extend age
eligibility on a popular ticket at the Merseytravel Committee meeting on
Thursday 25 June 2015.
Members agreed to extend the £2 MyTicket; which allows for unlimited all day
travel across the Merseyside bus network; for 18's and under, starting from 19
July 2015. The good news comes in the run up to Catch the Bus Week; a national
celebration of the benefits of taking the bus.
Merseytravel will be the first public transport body to trailblaze a product of
this kind for this age group regardless of whether they are in education or not.
The plans follow feedback from young people who feel they have limited access to
leisure, training and other opportunities because they have to pay adult fares
for public transport once they hit 16; unless they are eligible for student
discounts if they are in full time education.
This has been reinforced by comments from Local Authorities and the education
and employment sector, who feel that the cost of travel is a barrier to some
young people being able to progress. It is also now a requirement for young
people up to the age of 18 to be in education or work based training.
16 year old Stefan Price, a keen advocate for affordable transport for young
people, said:- “This is amazing news. When MyTicket was 1st launched last
year for 5 to 15 year olds I was a big supporter and was disappointed that I
could no longer buy it once I turned 16. Having the age range increased to 18
means that myself and other young people can continue to access vital education
and employment opportunities without paying unfair adult prices.”
MyTicket was introduced in May 2014 and by the end of March 2015, 1.3 million
tickets were sold and around 4 million journeys made.
Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of Merseytravel, said:- “We first launched
MyTicket in partnership with commercial bus operators a year ago on a trial
basis for 5 to 15 year olds following our pledge to make transport more
affordable for young people. It has proved to be such a big hit with young
travellers that it is now a permanent product and we’re delighted that we can
extend that offer to those 18 and under. This reflects our commitment to
listening to our young customers and trying to bring down the cost of travel for
more young people. We’re not stopping at MyTicket but looking at young people’s
fares across the board, working with operators to address affordability issues.”
Elisabeth Tasker, managing director of Stagecoach Merseyside and South
Lancashire, said:- “Bus travel is a key means of transport, particularly
for young people, so we’re delighted that the MyTicket scheme has been extended
to include people up to the age of 18. This inclusive system opens up more
affordable transport options and removes cost barriers which might otherwise
restrict under-18s. We’re very pleased that our young customers, who often rely
on our buses, will be able to take advantage of this ticketing option.”
Howard Farrall, area managing director, Arriva Merseyside, said:- “We are
delighted to continue to work with our partners to make bus travel more
attractive and affordable for young people. MyTicket has been a tremendous
success.”
At the Merseytravel Committee, Members also approved plans to extend supported
bus fares for children and young people to the age of 18 in early autumn.
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