Under-22s join call for free travel

Young people have told the BBC the “extortionate” cost of bus travel in England means they socialise less and struggle to pay rent.

A report by MPs has recommended everyone under the age of 22 should get free bus travel to help them get into work and education – similar to in Scotland.

The Department for Transport says it is already spending “£1bn in multi-year funding to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country”.

But the BBC has heard from people aged 22 and under who say bus fares are too expensive and eat into their food budget.

Maisy Moazzenkivi, 18, lives in Coventry with her mum, dad and brother, and travels almost two hours each way to get to college, four days a week.

Maisy, has a disability bus pass because of her autism, meaning she pays less for travel than her friends. However, she still spends £8 a day on getting to college as her free travel allowance only kicks in after 09:30, half an hour after she needs to be there.

She says money she spends on travel eats into what she would otherwise spend on food and snacks throughout the day.

“Sometimes, when I finish college I’m really hungry and just want to get a meal deal or something for the way home, but it’s so expensive on top of everything. I’m very lucky that I can go home and my family can feed me, but not everyone has that.”

If bus travel was free, Maisy says she would be able to socialise more, and save for “luxury items”.

“I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal, or an essential item, but one day, I’d love to save for a Juicy Couture tracksuit,” she said.

Gracie Moore, 22, lives in Slough and catches the bus every day to and from work, which costs her £120 a month.

“For someone who is not earning much more than minimum wage, it’s quite a big expenditure,” says Gracie who works as an administration assistant for a care home firm.

She says the high cost of travel for young people makes it difficult to navigate having a job and a social life.

Travel costs are “absolutely” a factor which stop her from moving out from her family home, she says.

“I have less independence this way, but I’m paying so much less.”

Gracie previously lived in Madrid, where she enjoyed unlimited travel on bus, train, tube, and tram) for only €8 (£6.90) a month with a young person’s travel card.

“I don’t understand how it’s so extortionate here when other countries in Europe subsidise it so well,” she says. “I just don’t know how the price of transport here can be justified.”

Originally from Nepal, Nikita Upreti, 20, is an international student studying at University College Birmingham. She says the rising price of travel means it is getting “harder” to pay for her bus pass each month.

When Nikita first moved to Birmingham in September 2024, a monthly bus pass with a student discount cost her £49. Now, it costs her £53.

“The student discount is not helping us anymore,” she says.

Nikita also works 20 hours a week as a waitress. Despite working the maximum amount of hours her university will allow her to while studying, she still struggles to pay her rent while juggling the rising cost of living.

She says that free bus travel “would make a big difference” to her life.

“I could spend the money I save on groceries and things that would help my education. It would be really helpful.”