Pressure mounts on the UK Government to implement nationwide free bus travel for young people in England, as regional disparities and funding concerns fuel the debate over transport affordability and accessibility for under-22s.
The UK Government has been urged to introduce free bus travel for all young people in England, a move aimed at enhancing accessibility to work, education, and social opportunities. This comes following a recommendation from the Transport Select Committee, which proposed a universal discount for those under 22 years old to encourage greater use of public transport and support economic growth. The committee highlighted the current patchwork of local youth travel concessions across England as a barrier to fair access, especially compared to the national schemes in Scotland and Wales, where under-22s and 16-21-year-olds respectively benefit from free or significantly discounted travel.
In Scotland, free bus travel is already provided to all under-22s, and in Wales, young people aged 16-21 can travel for a third of the usual fare, with a new £1 per journey fare starting soon. London offers free or discounted bus travel for 16 and 17-year-olds, while other parts of England have varied offers through commercial bus operators. Despite these, bus fares remain a significant expense for many young people, particularly those in rural areas and low-income households, where access to public transport can be a major barrier to employment and education.
Currently, bus fares in England are capped at £3 per journey until March 2027, but many advocates argue that this cap is insufficient to support affordability for young people. A petition on the UK Parliament website calls for free bus travel for all under-22s in England, alongside increased rail fare discounts for this age group, asserting that rising travel costs exclude many young people from essential journeys.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, acknowledged the importance of affordable bus services but explained that most services operate commercially with fare levels set independently by private operators. He noted that youth discounts are offered by at least one operator in the majority of local authority areas outside London. Lightwood also referenced the Government's allocation of over £1 billion in the Autumn 2024 Budget to support and improve bus services, including £712 million for local authorities. This funding can be used flexibly to enhance service reliability and potentially introduce new initiatives to reduce bus travel costs for young people, such as discounted fares.
These developments occur amid broader changes to eligibility for free bus passes for older adults in England. From October 2025, free bus pass qualification will be linked to the State Pension age, currently 66 and set to rise, delaying eligibility to around 67. Unlike England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will maintain free bus travel for residents aged 60 and over. This distinction underscores the regional variations in public transport entitlements across the UK.
While the Government has not committed to adopting the Transport Select Committee’s full recommendation for universal free bus travel for under-22s, there are indications of ongoing support for improving affordability and accessibility through local authority funding and commercial discounts. The conversation continues about how best to remove barriers to transport for young people, whose education, employment, and independence depend heavily on reliable and affordable public transport options.
📌 Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1] Manchester Evening News, [3] Evening Standard
- Paragraph 2 – [1] Manchester Evening News, [3] Evening Standard, [5] Manchester Evening News
- Paragraph 3 – [1] Manchester Evening News, [5] Manchester Evening News
- Paragraph 4 – [1] Manchester Evening News
- Paragraph 5 – [1] Manchester Evening News
- Paragraph 6 – [4] Globe Charter, [2] GOV.UK
- Paragraph 7 – [1] Manchester Evening News, [3] Evening Standard
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative is recent, with the Transport Select Committee's recommendation for free bus travel for under-22s in England published on 12 August 2025. ([standard.co.uk](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/england-mps-people-government-ruth-cadbury-b1242673.html?utm_source=openai)) The Manchester Evening News article was published on 28 October 2025, indicating timely reporting. However, similar discussions have been reported earlier, such as in The Independent on 13 August 2025. ([the-independent.com](https://www.the-independent.com/bulletin/news/free-bus-age-travel-under-22s-england-b2806638.html?utm_source=openai)) The Manchester Evening News article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. Additionally, the article includes a reference map with links to other sources, suggesting a reliance on existing content. The presence of a petition on the UK Parliament website calling for free bus travel for under-22s in England further indicates that the narrative has been discussed in other outlets. ([questions-statements.parliament.uk](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-10-21/83962?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The Manchester Evening News article includes direct quotes from Simon Lightwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, acknowledging the importance of affordable bus services. These quotes are consistent with statements made in the Department for Transport's response to a parliamentary question on 24 October 2025. ([questions-statements.parliament.uk](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-10-21/83962?utm_source=openai)) The wording matches, indicating that the quotes are not original to the Manchester Evening News article. This suggests that the quotes have been reused from official statements, which may affect the originality of the content.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The Manchester Evening News is a reputable regional newspaper, providing a reasonable level of reliability. However, the article relies on information from other sources, including The Standard and The Independent, which are also reputable outlets. The presence of a petition on the UK Parliament website adds credibility to the narrative. The reliance on multiple reputable sources strengthens the overall reliability of the report.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative presents a plausible scenario, discussing the Transport Select Committee's recommendation for free bus travel for under-22s in England and the government's response. The information aligns with recent developments, such as the Department for Transport's response to a parliamentary question on 24 October 2025. ([questions-statements.parliament.uk](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-10-21/83962?utm_source=openai)) The inclusion of updated data and references to other reputable sources supports the plausibility of the claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The Manchester Evening News article reports on the Transport Select Committee's recommendation for free bus travel for under-22s in England, with updates on the government's response. While the narrative is timely and plausible, it relies on information from other reputable sources and includes quotes that have been reused from official statements, which may affect the originality of the content. The presence of a petition on the UK Parliament website adds credibility to the narrative. Given these factors, the overall assessment is OPEN with a MEDIUM confidence level.
