The West of England launches free summer bus travel for under-16s, offering financial relief to families and encouraging green travel, with 150,000 children set to benefit across the region.
In a landmark move to ease financial strain on families and boost public transport use, children under 16 across the West of England will be able to travel free on local buses throughout the summer holidays. The initiative, which will benefit around 150,000 young people, is the first of its kind outside London.
Under the scheme, children aged five to 15 across the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) – which includes Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire – as well as in neighbouring North Somerset, will not need a bus pass or prior registration to enjoy the benefit. The offer runs from 19 July to 5 September, coinciding with the school summer break.
The initiative was unveiled in a play park in South Bristol by newly elected Labour Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, who described the scheme as a meaningful response to rising living costs while promoting greener travel habits. “It’s right that we help people save money and encourage greener travel, and this scheme will do just that,” she said. “With free travel for 150,000 kids, local families will more easily have busloads of fun during the school holidays. This is just the start of a new chapter for the West of England.”
Children aged 5–15 across the West of England and North Somerset will ride buses free this summer, thanks to a £13.5m grant aimed at cutting costs and promoting public transport.
Transport operators including Bath Bus Company, First Bus and Stagecoach are backing the move, which was announced alongside the rollout of one of the region’s new zero-emission electric buses. Hundreds of these vehicles are expected to be deployed in the coming months, forming part of the region’s broader environmental and transport strategy.
Funding for the scheme comes from a £13.5 million bus grant secured by WECA from the Department for Transport. It is separate from the £752 million announced last week for broader transport upgrades in the West of England, which include improvements to bus services, expanded rail options, and early-stage exploration of a mass transit system. Despite the significant investment, some critics argue the region received less than comparable areas, such as Tees Valley.
North Somerset, which currently sits outside WECA but is seeking to join the authority, is also included in the free summer bus travel programme.
This bold step is being seen as both a practical support measure and a strategic investment in future public transport habits. As Helen Godwin noted, “Our first steps on transport should help inspire the next generation of bus passengers.”
