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Writer's pictureKenneth Gibson MSP

1,307,128 FREE BUS JOURNEYS UNDERTAKEN BY NORTH AYRSHIRE’S YOUNG PEOPLE


Following the SNP Government’s introduction of free bus people for young people on Monday 31 January 2022, 18,616 cardholders across North Ayrshire have made 1,307,128 free bus journeys in the 13 months prior to Monday 06 March 2023.


North Ayrshire’s uptake is now at 81.7%, the third highest among Scotland’s 32 local authorities, with only Edinburgh and Inverclyde higher.


SNP Government concessionary bus travel schemes are the most generous in the UK, with over two million people across Scotland now eligible for free bus travel.


Everyone in Scotland under 22, those aged 60 and over, disabled people and their companions can benefit from free bus travel.


Kenneth Gibson MSP said


“It is really encouraging that over 1.3 million free bus journeys have been made in North Ayrshire since free bus travel was introduced over a year ago.


“I am particularly pleased that uptake in North Ayrshire is now so high, with more than 8 in 10 eligible people signed up.


“For my part, I successfully urged North Ayrshire Council on the first day the new SNP administration took over to enable young people to sign up at school for concessionary passes, given that uptake then was only 16.7%


“I then secured agreement from Ayrshire College to do likewise, enabling young people from the local area to access education, work, training and leisure activities at no cost.


“The impact of the new concessionary has also been to boost the viability of bus services by providing additional passengers and revenue at a time when – post COVID – fewer older people are travelling than was the case before the pandemic.


“Thankfully, that situation is now steadily improving.”


For more information about the under 22s bus pass scheme, visit


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Kenneth Gibson SNP

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