Andy Burnham needs to go further - bus travel should be free to all children under 16. Birmingham has a child poverty crisis, and bus fares are one way to help with it, argues Graeme Brown, Editor-in-Chief of Reach PLC for the West Midlands.
£2 fare cap is a welcome start but not enough
Today's decision to reduce the bus fare cap to £2 is a welcome step, but I believe we should go even further. Children under the age of 16 should not have to pay for bus travel at all. Young people cannot legally earn a full-time income and are entirely dependent on their families to cover the cost of getting to school, seeing friends, attending clubs or accessing opportunities in their communities.
Andy Burnham has rightly noted that bus travel is a way to address the cost of living. There is a way to go still, though. Charging them to travel creates an unnecessary barrier, particularly for families already struggling to make ends meet.
Child poverty in Birmingham: half of all children affected
In Birmingham, where around half of all children are living in poverty, the cost of a bus fare is far more than a minor inconvenience. For many households, every pound matters. Removing fares for under-16s would help families with the cost of living while ensuring that no child misses out on education, sport, social activities or healthcare because of the price of transport.
Note, there is an obesity epidemic costing us billions and impacting the poorest the most. Free bus travel for children should be seen as an investment, not a cost. It would encourage lifelong use of public transport, reduce reliance on cars and give every young person the freedom to access the opportunities they deserve, regardless of their family's income.
Time to make bus travel free for every child under 16
Today's announcement is a positive start. Now it's time to make bus travel free for every child under 16.
