TEENAGERS TO LOSE DISCOUNT BUS PASSES
Council to axe Your Staffordshire scheme
BUS passes aimed at providing young people with discount travel are due to be axed. The Your Staffordshire card currently provides young people aged between 11 and 19 with cheaper fares inside the county border.
But, due to ‘unprecedented financial challenges’, Staffordshire County Council has announced it plans to axe the scheme from August 31, as part of budget cuts.
The authority says the number of people using the scheme has seen a decline.
Councillor Helen Fisher, above, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “As the county council was facing a £35m shortfall in its budget due to the soaring costs of care, we have had no choice but to look closely at what remaining nonstatutory services we can fund.
“We are planning to end the Your Staffordshire Card scheme, for those under 20, from August 31, 2019.
“The numbers using the scheme have continued to fall and we would encourage people to contact their local bus operators to see what the best fares and passes available are.”
A council spokesman added: “Staffordshire County Council like many councils are facing unprecedented financial challenges not of our making due to the increasing costs of funding adult social care and children’s care – at a time when national funding to councils continues to fall.”
Talke and Red Street Labour councillor Kyle Robinson fears the change could limit young people when looking at schools and colleges. He added: “A lot of people, particularly young people, have mentioned this because it will limit their freedom to get out and about.
“It will reduce their ability to get out and across Staffordshire, putting more cars on the road and increasing congestion.”
Local bus operators now have to decide whether they will continue offering discount fares to younger travellers.
Dan Flanagan, operations manager at First Potteries, said: “The Staffordshire young person’s card is planned to be withdrawn by Staffordshire County Council in August 2019, but our younger travellers don’t need to worry as we have several discounted ticket options that can facilitate their bus travel.
“The present card only applies to residents of Staffordshire and doesn’t affect anyone living in Stoke-ontrent.”
First Potteries offers a ‘young person’ ticket to those under 16 while those under 19 and in full-time education qualify for a ‘student ticket’.