A new £1 single fare or £3 day ticket will be introduced for young people in Wales from September
Transport for Wales is to introduce £1 bus fares for young people from September as part of its commitment to improving transport. The move means that people aged 16 to 21 will be able to travel on buses owned by participating operators across the country for £1, with a £3 day pass also available, and the initial scheme will run for a year. The Welsh Government says it will extend the scheme to five to 15-year-olds from November. Users will need to apply for a free ‘mytravelpass’ if they don’t currently have one.
Speaking at the launch event at Newport Bus Station, First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “Cutting the cost of travel for young people and providing better transport for all is one of our top priorities. We are delivering our promises to young people across Wales. This investment will make a real difference to communities all over Wales, but especially in rural areas.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates added: “I am delighted to be launching a scheme that offers affordable bus travel for young people to help them access education, training, employment, and leisure, as well as supporting our efforts to encourage more people to use public transport, reduce carbon emissions and tackle poverty. As we approach the summer holidays, I want to encourage all those who haven’t signed up for a free mytravelpass to do so from the 21 July, this will mean they can take advantage of £1 bus fares from 1 September.”
£15m is being provided over the financial years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the £1 bus fares initiative for 16 to 21-year-olds as part of a Budget deal with the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds. The Welsh Government will invest a further £7m to extend the scheme to five to 15-year-olds, from 3 November. The scheme will be voluntary for bus operators. Speaking on behalf of the industry, the Confederation of Passenger Transport called for clarity on how the scheme will be funded at operator level. Director of CPT Cymru Aaron Hill said: “Encouraging young people to catch the bus is the right choice for Wales. Lower fares will help a new generation pick up a habit of using public transport – which will trigger more investment in bus services, benefiting communities up and down the country.
“Buses account for two thirds of public transport journeys in Wales, so they are key to our national infrastructure. Investing in buses represents good value. In order to roll out this scheme in the autumn, bus operators need clarity on exactly how lower bus fares will be funded, and on reimbursement for individual bus companies which will be cutting fares for passengers.
“It is also important that the Government considers how long the scheme will last, and how it can ultimately be ended without a ‘cliff edge’ that deters passengers. We want to work in partnership to deliver lower fares for young people successfully. We call on the Welsh Government and on Transport for Wales to act quickly to build confidence in the scheme ahead of its launch in September.”
