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Young people leaving care, aged up to 25, will now soon be able to travel free on buses in the wider region, thanks to funding secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council.
This new investment is an extension to the popular existing scheme, for 18 to 21-year-olds, which has been running since November 2023. Each young person in the West Country who takes up the current offer saves up to £950 a year.
Around 700 young people have already claimed the existing offer to date, with that number expected to double once the age range has been increased. Each young person in the West who benefits from the expansion of the offer will save up to £1,050 a year.
Helen Godwin, the new Mayor of the West of England, today announced the extension to the scheme alongside the leaders of North Somerset, Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire councils.
It’s something that Helen feels passionately about, having been the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Bristol City Council in 2018 when they first introduced a council tax exemption for care leavers. All councils in the region currently offer council tax discounts/exemptions for care leavers up to their 25th birthdays.
Helen Godwin, the new Mayor of the West of England, said:
“This is just the start of a new chapter for the West of England, working together to build the better bus service that we all want to see. I am proud that we are prioritising investing in the futures of care leavers, helping them to access education, employment, and training.
“Providing free bus travel, right up to the age of 25, make it easier for people with experience of care to better access all of these things. This investment will help care leavers to thrive in the world of work and visit some of the great places in the West of England in their spare time – as well as saving around £1,000 a year on bus travel.”
Councillor Catherine Gibbons, Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Families and Lifelong Learning, said:
“Extending free bus travel to care leavers up to the age of 25 is a powerful step forward in supporting young people across North Somerset. It removes barriers to work, education, and social connection, helping them to build independence and confidence. This expansion reflects our continued commitment to giving every young person the opportunity to succeed.”
Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said:
“This direct support helps removes a barrier for some of our most vulnerable young people and I welcome this funding. In Bath & North East Somerset our commitment to getting services right for care experienced young people has been recently acknowledged by Ofsted and I am proud that the council has made leaving care a protected characteristic and signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant. The decision by WECA is a great example of how we can work together to support young people for better outcomes.”
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said:
“Bristol, and the rest of the West of England should be a place where everyone, no matter what their start in life, has the ability to thrive.
“I am therefore delighted that this funding has been secured to extend free bus travel for care leavers up to the age of 25. It is important that we support young people who have been in care and providing free bus tickets will help them study, commute, and enjoy their lives across the West of England more easily.”
Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said:
“We’re delighted to be expanding this free travel initiative to include care leavers up to the age of 25. The investment will make a real difference to some of our most vulnerable young people and help them access education, jobs and vital support networks. This is a great example of how partnership working can deliver meaningful change for our communities.”
For those eligible, details of how to apply for a WESTpass, which can be used on all the main bus companies and WESTlink vehicles, can be found at westfares.co.uk. The start of the free travel extension will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
The extension to the scheme is possible thanks to Bus Grant funding from the Department for Transport, of which the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority recently secured £13.5 million and North Somerset £3.1 million.