Birthday Bus Pass to be extended despite criticism

Dan Norris launched the Birthday bus pass scheme in the summer of 2023

A transport giveaway that gives anyone in Bristol and the surrounding area a free bus pass for the month their birthday falls in is to be extended.

The Birthday Bus Pass was launched by West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Labour Mayor Dan Norris in 2023, despite critics calling it a 'gimmick.'

However a report by auditors KPMG, seen by the BBC, has concluded it has provided high value for money, generating more than 70,000 applications.

An official launch for the extended scheme is expected to take place soon.

The scheme has been controversial. After some council leaders complained they had not been consulted before its launch, senior officers from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) also said they had cancelled a bus wrap advert after concerns over its legality.

This in turn led to a Committee hearing about the £10,000 advert, featuring Metro Mayor Dan Norris and his dog, that was boycotted by then Labour Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees.

The scheme continued however and between August 2023 and July 2024 more than 72,000 passes were applied for.

Surveys of about 3,000 pass users afterwards found that 49% were taking journeys by bus they otherwise would not have.

Auditors KPMG, having assessed WECA's data, concluded, "The Birthday Bus Pass scheme demonstrated high value for money in the core scenario by increasing bus usage, reducing road congestion, and promoting sustainable transport.

"These impacts were distributed across a wide spectrum of society."

Conservative Sam Bromiley said "I have seen nothing that persuades me this is anything but a gimmick that has diverted money away from supporting buses"

Speaking to the BBC about the report, Mayor Dan Norris said "I am pleased because it has been contentious. My political opponents were against it from the outset, which is unfortunate because this is about getting more people on the buses.

"There's been 1.2million plus journeys made as a result of this scheme. That has got to be good news because that gets people into the habit - they're using buses which means services survive and hopefully thrive into the future."

The BBC understands of the £8million set aside for the Birthday Bus Pass scheme last year, only £2.35 has been spent so far.

A year's extension is expected to be announced soon, however some remain sceptical.

Councillor Sam Bromiley, leader of the Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council, said, "The scheme and its appalling mishandling is symptomatic of the wider problems that has plunged the combined authority into special measures earlier this year."