Bristol: No funding for 'lovely' free youth bus travel plan

Free bus travel for young people remains an aspiration for Bristol

A plan to provide free youth bus travel "would be lovely" but council bosses have said they cannot currently afford to do it.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said he had been supporting the plans for young people, students and apprentices.

He said the idea would be "incredibly significant" during the current cost of living crisis.

West of England regional Mayor Dan Norris said he was sympathetic but there was no money to fund the plan.

Labour mayor Mr Rees said: "I'm not saying we could do all of this tomorrow, but certainly having an explicit commitment to free travel for 18 to 25 year olds, students and apprentices, would be a very good thing to do.

"When we think about the disproportionate impacts of Covid, lockdown, and now the cost of living crisis on our young people, I think this could be incredibly significant.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Mr Norris, also Labour, replied: "I can't give a commitment to that now in its entirety. Because the challenge is about getting bus passenger numbers up across all age groups, backgrounds, cultures and communities.

"But I am sympathetic to that and it would be very lovely to be able to do that.

"But we do need to think more widely and broadly, but I'm very happy to keep having that discussion."