MPs in England are calling for a sweeping change: free bus passes for all residents under the age of 22. This bold recommendation, published in a report by the Transport Select Committee on August 12, 2025, aims to tackle a growing crisis in public transport and opportunity for young people. The proposal, if enacted, would mirror successful schemes already in place in Scotland and bring England’s patchwork of local concessions into line with more coherent national policies found elsewhere in the UK.
The numbers tell a story of decline and rising barriers. According to the Transport Committee’s findings, bus journeys in England have plummeted from 4.6 billion in 2009 to just 3.6 billion in 2024. At the same time, fares have outstripped inflation, putting a squeeze on households and, crucially, on young people just starting out in work or further education. As the committee noted, "High bus fares and limited local provision can severely restrict young people's access to education, employment, and other opportunities."
The report’s authors argue that unreliable and expensive bus services are not just a nuisance—they’re a major obstacle to economic growth and social mobility. In fact, a 2019 study cited by the committee found that 57% of jobseekers lived in areas where they could not reach a center of employment within 45 minutes by bus. For many, especially those in rural or underserved urban areas, the bus simply isn’t an option.
Young people themselves have voiced frustration. Alex Mustafa, 19, who relies on buses for daily life due to health and financial reasons, shared her experience with BBC News: "It would also help poorer young people like myself who rely on public transport to better plan for social connections without needing to worry about bus cost on top of how expensive it is to go out as it is." Alex has been left waiting for buses for over an hour, resulting in missed work and social events. "It's very difficult to live life according to plan when you have to plan around an unreliable schedule. Trains are sometimes better, but they also come with a higher cost and they're more limiting with location," she said.
The economic impact extends beyond the individual. Bus passengers contribute a staggering £39.1 billion to local businesses each year, according to research from KPMG. Yet, the sector’s overall contribution to the economy has declined by about £8.9 billion between 2011 and 2023. Experts told the Transport Committee that the current deregulated system allows commercial operators to "deprioritise" less profitable routes, often leaving vulnerable communities without reliable service.
Roman Dibden, chief executive of youth charity Rise Up, sees the consequences firsthand: "Free bus passes for under-22s would remove a huge barrier, opening up access to jobs, apprenticeships, and training—especially in communities where opportunity isn't on your doorstep." The charity regularly encounters young people turning down job interviews and training opportunities simply because they can’t afford the fare.
Dylan Lewis-Creser, 21, a town planning student and Green Party candidate in the May 2024 local elections, echoed these concerns. "A free bus pass would mean I could get to and from university and work without paying £10 a week, which adds up significantly as a student on a low budget," they told the BBC. The costs multiply when changing buses for different jobs or hospital visits. Dylan believes, "We've seen how it's boosted young people using buses in Scotland, and it only makes sense to extend that policy."
Currently, England’s approach to youth bus concessions is a patchwork. Some areas, such as London, offer free or discounted travel for 16- and 17-year-olds, while others provide little or nothing. In contrast, Scotland has offered free bus travel to everyone aged five to 22 since January 2022, and Wales is set to allow 16-21-year-olds to travel for just £1 per journey starting next month. The committee’s report describes England’s system as inconsistent and calls for a "coherent national approach to ensure fair access across England."
Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, chair of the Transport Select Committee, put it bluntly: "Those most affected by unreliable or even non-existent buses include the young, who need them to get to school, college, university and their first jobs. Denying young people these experiences denies them their life chances. We call for a universal, free bus pass for all under-22s to equalise opportunity."
The committee’s recommendations go beyond free fares. They urge the government to reform how bus services are funded, moving away from short-term, "stop-start" funding cycles toward longer-term settlements. As the report notes, other sectors like rail and the strategic road network benefit from five-year funding plans, which encourage strategic planning and certainty. The Local Government Association (LGA) welcomed this, stating, "More work is needed to attract them back onto buses to ensure services are sustainable for our communities. Stop-start funding risks losing passengers, with patronage difficult to recover if and when money is found."
There’s also a call for practical improvements: better bus stops and shelters, with screens showing real-time information, to make services safer and more attractive—especially for older and vulnerable passengers. Jane Bishop, chief executive of North Norfolk Community Transport, highlighted the social value of buses: "Most of our passengers are older people, but not all. A lot of people, we're the only people they see every week. They become friends with the other people on their route so it's a great tool for combatting loneliness." But she cautioned, "it's a lottery whether there is a community transport in your area."
On the policy front, the Bus Services Bill currently making its way through Parliament promises to give local transport authorities more power to run their own services and reduce bureaucratic hurdles in bus franchising. However, MPs like Steff Aquarone, a Liberal Democrat on the Transport Committee, argue that rural areas in particular need a "different model for rural public transport." He explained, "If you put buses on at the time people want to travel, going to places they want to go, people will use them."
Meanwhile, the government maintains it is investing in improvements, pointing to £1 billion in multi-year funding to boost the reliability and frequency of bus services across England. Passengers outside London currently benefit from a £3 fare cap, extended until the end of 2025—a measure the committee says is especially helpful for rural residents who often need to take longer or multiple journeys.
Bus services in England are devolved, meaning local authorities can choose to offer their own concessions for under-22s. Some councils already do, but the committee’s report argues that only a national approach will deliver the consistency and opportunity young people need.
As the debate continues, the evidence is mounting that free bus passes for under-22s could be more than just a helping hand—they could be a lifeline to jobs, education, and a more connected society. The question now is whether the government will seize the opportunity to drive real change, or whether England’s young people will be left waiting at the bus stop for a solution that never comes.