Welsh Government Introduces £1 Bus Fare for 16-21 Year Olds

Plans to introduce capped bus fares for young people in Wales have been praised as ‘potentially transformational’ by a North Wales Member of the Senedd.

Carolyn Thomas, Welsh Labour MS for North Wales, has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that from September, 16-21 year olds in Wales will benefit from £1 single bus fares and a £3 unlimited day ticket.

The initiative will run for a full academic year, backed by a £100 million investment as part of the Welsh Government’s budget.

Thomas, a long-time advocate for affordable public transport, believes the scheme could bring significant benefits.

She said: “Capped and free public transport is potentially transformational. We’ve seen it implemented across Europe to great success. From Malta to Luxembourg, and from Montpellier in France to Tallinn in Estonia, free and capped public transport has boosted connectivity and drastically reduced carbon emissions.”

She pointed to Germany’s 2022 €9 unlimited monthly train ticket, introduced in response to the cost-of-living crisis.

Over 52 million of these tickets were sold, removing an estimated 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

As chair of the Senedd’s Cross Party Group on Public Transport, Thomas has been urging the Welsh Government to follow European examples for several years.

Reacting to the announcement, she said: “The evidence from across Europe is that affordable public transport can be used to tackle the climate crisis, fight inequality and social isolation, and boost connectivity and productivity.”

The move is expected to make public transport more accessible for young people across Wales, encouraging greater use of buses and reducing car dependency. Thomas hopes this will pave the way for broader fare caps across Wales.

“The benefits of capped public transport are needed now more than ever as we face a combination of short-term challenges such as the increased cost-of-living, and long-term challenges such as climate change,” she said.

The capped fares scheme is set to launch in September and will be available for the duration of the academic year.