Under 22’s Can Now Apply For Scotland’s Free Bus Travel Scheme
SNP MSP for Stirling, Evelyn Tweed, has welcomed the opening of the application process for free bus travel for young people, under the age of 22 years old.
From Monday the 10th January, all young people and children aged 5-21 years old in Stirling can apply for their new or replacement National Entitlement Card (NEC) or Young Scot NEC to access the scheme from 31 January 2022. The scheme, extending free bus travel to everyone aged 22, builds on the Scottish Government’s commitment to providing free bus travel to all under-19’s in Scotland which started in August 2021.
SNP MSP, Evelyn Tweed has welcomed the initiative which is set to benefit around 18,800 children and young people in Stirling and pointed to research from Transport Scotland indicating that 70% of young people would use public transport more frequently if it was free.
The scheme will be delivered in partnership with Transport Scotland, the Improvement Service, the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO), Young Scot, local authorities and bus operators.
Commenting SNP MSP for Stirling Evelyn Tweed said:
“This is great news for young people in Stirling, under the age of 22, who can now apply for free bus travel across the country. It’s a significant commitment from the Scottish Government that will benefit over 18,800 five to 22 year olds across Stirling.
“With Stirling residents often travelling some distance to get to work or education, this is going to be a huge benefit to Stirling’s younger population.
“Many young people are rightly challenging their politicians to take bold actions to create a sustainable future for them and free bus travel is an example of what can be done to rise to this challenge.
“Making bus travel free for under 22’s has multiple benefits, it not only helps us tackle the climate emergency but also takes pressure off young people’s finances and improves their access to education, leisure, and work.
“Whilst the pandemic has restricted movement for many of us, we all recognise that essential travel must be prioritised so I strongly encourage young people with essential journeys to apply for the free bus travel scheme now.
“The Scottish Government is once again making an investment in our young people’s future, supporting them to have the best possible start in life and creating the fairer, greener Scotland that we want to build.”