Kids Go Free scheme saw bus travel spike across West of England last summer
The free bus journey offer saw some routes welcoming double the number of passengers
Children and young people in the West of England have embraced the nationally unique Kids Go Free bus offer, resulting in a significant rise in bus travel during the summer of 2025 compared to the previous year.
Figures from First Bus reveal that the offer, which requires no registration or bus pass, led to bus journeys doubling for under-16s in areas with some of the lowest family incomes in the country—showing a 98% increase on average.
Areas that saw notable travel increases include Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston, Filwood, Hartcliffe and Withywood, Henbury and Brentry, Hengrove and Whitchurch Park, Kingswood, Lockleaze, Twerton and Whiteway, Staple Hill, Warmley, Weston-super-Mare Central and South, and Woodstock.
In January, council leaders allocated £9.9 million of a £42.4 million three-year Bus Grant towards sustainable travel initiatives like Kids Go Free, aiming to further support families, in line with Child Poverty Action Plan commitments.
Last summer's Kids Go Free initiative has been widely praised for reducing travel costs for families and enabling access to local cultural experiences. Nearly 1.1 million free journeys have been completed, saving parents and carers around £1.1 million.
The ongoing success of Kids Go Free is endorsed by regional leaders. Mayor Helen Godwin, councillor Kevin Guy, councillor Tony Dyer, councillor Hugh Malyan, councillor Maggie Tyrrell, and Rob Pymm, Commercial Director of First Bus Wales & West, have all highlighted the program's transformational impact on young people and sustained investment in public transport.
Local organisations like Room 13 Hareclive and the Brigstow Institute at the University of Bristol continue to research the long-term effects of free bus travel for children, emphasizing how it removes barriers to accessing new experiences and opportunities.
Looking ahead, the regional authority plans to seek public input on the developing Bus Plan, aimed at building a reliable and comprehensive bus network supported by substantial government transport investment.
'Remarkable figures'
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said: “Universal, easy-to-use services usually have the biggest benefit for communities where cash is tight.
"Kids Go Free has proved no exception to that rule and I’m sure will continue to be a success. This is a progressive policy, driving real change that families can see and feel, and something that we can all be proud of as we look ahead to the Easter school holidays.
"These latest remarkable figures show that the number of children and young people enjoying getting around the West by bus, sometimes for the first time, often doubled year-on-year in the places where people benefit most from free bus travel.”
Councillor Kevin Guy, Deputy Mayor and Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Kids Go Free has made a real difference to families across Bath & North East Somerset. Over the summer, thousands more free journeys were taken by children helping to drive a significant rise in under 16s using the bus during the school holidays.
“This has given more young people the opportunity to get out and explore their local area, accessing opportunities that might not have been possible without this support.”
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: “These figures show just how transformative initiatives like Kids Go Free can be for families across Bristol. Seeing some journey numbers double highlights the positive impact of removing cost as a barrier to travel for young people and once again underscores what can be achieved through sustained investment into our city’s bus network.
“We’re determined to build on this success with our regional partners and the Mayoral Combined Authority and look forward to providing even more residents with modern, affordable and accessible travel across Bristol and the West of England.”
Councillor Hugh Malyan, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said: “These figures show the strong demand for affordable, accessible public transport. By removing the cost barrier for children, we have supported families, cut congestion, and helped young people build lifelong sustainable travel habits.”
Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We’re pleased to see a significant increase in the number of bus journeys and that so many local children have benefitted from this initiative. Our goal now is to go further, increasing the number of bus routes available and improving coverage so even more children can benefit.”
Rob Pymm, Commercial Director of First Bus Wales & West, said: “It’s great that so many young people have benefited from Kids Go Free, both in the summer and more recently over the Christmas period, and that it was really popular in all corners of the region. Encouraging bus use at an early age is a great way of creating lifetime habits and we’re pleased to play our part in supporting this fantastic scheme.”