Call for cheaper travel

Greater Manchester transport bosses have given their backing to a House of Commons report calling on the government to help local authorities introduce cheaper travel for young people in education.

Councillor Matt Colledge, Chair of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA), highlighted how the Transport Select Committee’s findings support previous research in Greater Manchester.

He said: “We know that some parents find the cost of travel a barrier to their children using public transport, not only to get to school or college, but also to enjoy local leisure opportunities.

“Like every other major metropolitan area in the country, we are faced with the very real problem of trying to keep school bus fares low while the subsidy we have to pay to bus operators increases.

“I wholeheartedly back the Transport Committee’s call for robust government research into the costs and benefits of public transport for young people.

“The government has already recognised the benefits of concessionary travel for older and disabled people. We now need its support to offer a better concessionary travel deal for our young people too.”

The report also gives support to American-style Yellow School Buses as an effective way to get more children using public transport to get to school.

Councillor Keith Whitmore, Vice Chair of GMITA, added: “In Greater Manchester we have a fleet of nearly 40 yellow buses which are helping us tackle the school run and provide a safe way for young people to get to school.

“If we had funding to introduce more of these services – and lower the cost of school travel – we could make a massive impact on congestion on our roads.

“I welcome this report’s findings, which will add further weight to the recent Blunkett review’s support for Yellow School Buses.”

Last month GMITA leaders called on the government to fund a maximum standard concessionary fare of 50p across the UK for children and young people in full-time education.

The government has already introduced free local bus travel across England for people aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people.