Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will introduce free bus travel for young people aged 16-19 in England.

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling young people to get to education, work and access vital services. While there are no current plans to introduce a national scheme providing free bus travel for people aged 16 to 19 in England, in many areas, discounted tickets and concessionary schemes are provided through arrangements between local authorities, colleges and transport operators. Where transport services operate on a commercial basis, decisions regarding fares and ticket products are generally matters for operators.

Many operators offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2026 youth concessions were available from at least one commercial operator in 76 of the 85 local authority areas in England outside London.

Additionally, on 22 July, the Government announced that single bus tickets will be capped at £2 from 1 January 2027, replacing the current £3 National Bus Fare Cap. Under the scheme, no single eligible bus ticket on participating bus routes will be higher than £2, helping millions of people access affordable bus travel, supporting access to work, education, healthcare and leisure.