Skip to content

Families snap up free summer bus rides for kids

Amber Maceyin Lincoln and Hull
BBC A close up shot of a mother standing with her her daughter in a modern, glass-fronted bus station. The mother has reddish-brown hair, tied back, with sunglasses on the top of her head and is wearing a black T-shirt with white stripes. Her daughter has long strawberry blond hair, is wearing a white top and is smiling.BBC
Hayley and daughter Tilly have chosen the bus over the car

Parents says free summer bus travel for kids is helping them get out and about, but some are calling for the scheme to be extended.

Children aged 15 and under can ride for free on most local services in England during August as part of a government scheme meant to help with the cost of living.

One Lincolnshire-based operator, Brylaine, said the number of children using buses had risen by 210% in the first three days of operating the initiative.

Hayley, who was travelling with daughter Tilly, 11, in Lincoln, said rising costs had made family trips increasingly expensive. She added: "I'd like to see it become permanent because people still need transport after the summer holidays."

A man and his nine-year-old son sitting in blue and orange patterned seats on a bus. The man is wearing a grey baseball cap, white short-sleeved shirt and orange T-shirt. His son is wearing a matching cap and grey shirt.
Stephan and his son on a bus in Lincoln

She said the initiative had made her more likely to choose the bus because it was cheaper than the car.

Fellow parent Stephan, a father-of-two from Lincoln, said the savings would make a "real difference" to his family.

"I don't drive, so anything that helps us get out and about is really valuable," he added.

Families already benefit from free bus travel for children under five. Fares for older children are usually between £1 and £2.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said most fares will be capped at £2 from January 2027, while Lincolnshire County Council has cut some journeys to £1.50.

But the government hopes the August offer will help families get out and about during the school holidays.

A woman with black hair, wearing a black shirt, standing next to a red bus at a bus stop.
Marrianne Garbutt, of Brylaine Travel, says savings are important in a rural county

Bus usage has fallen since the Covid-19 pandemic. By March 2025, 1.9 billion journeys were made on local buses in England outside of London – about 93% of pre-pandemic levels.

The Campaign for Better Transport has said rural areas are still suffering from fewer bus routes and called for the replacement of "lost services".

Marrianne Garbutt, the managing director of Brylaine, said the August scheme was "really important" to a rural county where people had to travel long distances.

Her firm was also allowing young people aged 12 to 15 to travel free and unaccompanied, providing they could show proof of age.

"Anything we can do to give teenagers independence in a rural county, we're going to do it," she said.

"It gives young people the opportunity to see their friends and it's saving them a lot of money."

Other firms taking part in the Lincolnshire area include Stagecoach and PC Coaches of Lincoln.

'Sense of freedom'

In neighbouring East Yorkshire, Reform UK mayor Luke Campbell has announced additional funding to allow 16 to 19-year-olds to travel at half price on services operated by Stagecoach East Midlands and East Yorkshire Buses.

In Hull, one mother, Nicki, said the scheme had given her 14-year-old daughter Maya greater independence as she could travel into town with friends.

"It opens up a world of possibilities for them," she said.

"For her to get on the bus and for it not to cost anything for us, it's great and also gives them a sense of freedom."

A woman wearing a blue dress is sitting in a bus shelter with her young daughter who is wearing an England football shirt. A public square and a smart-looking restaurant can be seen in the background.
Samantha says the free bus fair was 'ideal, especially for single parents'

Another parent, Samantha, was waiting for a bus home in Hull city centre with her four-year-old daughter, Myla-Rose.

She pointed out a standard fare to get into the city centre cost £3 for adults.

"When I was at school it was only 40p," she said.

The new scheme would help her out when taking her nine-year-old niece on trips.

"I'll have more money to spend at the seaside now," she added.

Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire or Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices

More on this story