Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Summer Bus Fare Offer for children in August 2026; and whether she plans to reintroduce the scheme during the summer holidays in 2027.

The Summer Bus Fare Offer enabled children aged 5 to 15 to travel free on participating bus services across England throughout August 2026, helping families with the cost of getting around during the school holidays.

Industry has reported that over 14.5 million free child bus journeys were made in August as a result of the scheme and the department will be analysing the evidence to assess the effectiveness of the scheme in the coming months.

The scheme was designed as a targeted, time-limited measure and concluded at the end of August as planned. The Government will consider any further schemes through its wider approach to supporting affordable bus travel.