Young people are set to benefit from free bus travel across Scotland from January 2021.
Bus travel is to become free for 26,784 under-19s after a budget deal was struck between the SNP and Greens.
It’s thought the move will help young people across Scotland access school, college, university, and employment and will save families money. The Green Party hope the measure will also help to tackle the climate emergency and local air pollution by increasing public transport use, giving families the opportunity to leave their car at home and protecting bus routes under threat due to declining passenger numbers.
West of Scotland Green MSP Ross Greer has welcome the news, he said: “It’s fantastic that almost 27,000 young people in Renfrewshire will get free bus travel from early next year thanks to our Green budget successes.
“This is exactly the kind of transformational change we promised when we were elected and I am proud that we’re delivering on it
“Tackling the climate emergency and local air pollution means taking bold action and with transport emissions going up in Scotland, this is exactly the kind of measure we need to reduce car use and increase the number of people, especially families, getting the bus instead.”