Free travel pilot scheme for young people approved
The 29-week scheme for those aged five to 18 will run from February and is expected to cost £7.6m.
Free travel pilot scheme for young people approved
A pilot programme will provide free bus and tram travel for children and young people aged five to 18.
Young people living in Sheffield will be able to travel free on buses and trams across South Yorkshire after councillors backed the scheme.
Sheffield City Council's strategy and resources committee has approved a 29-week trial for those aged five to 18.
The pilot is due to begin on 15 February 2027 and is forecast to cost £7.6m.
Council leader Fran Belbin said it would ease pressure on families facing the cost of living and offer thousands of young people more independence.
"The cost of a bus or tram journey should never be what stops a young person getting to college, taking up an apprenticeship, joining a sports club or simply spending time with friends," she said.
Belbin said the pilot had been intentionally scheduled to run until September 2027, when a separate scheme from South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard will introduce a region-wide free travel scheme for the same age group.
The pilot has been created with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and informed by Barnsley's MiCard scheme, which saw passenger numbers rise, especially in some of the most deprived areas.
Children and young people who qualify will use a dedicated smartcard, and usage, journey patterns, the cost and impact on the transport network will be tracked so the pilot's success can be evaluated.