MCA to amend scheme to allow ‘Under 18s Free Bus Pilot’ to take place in Barnsley

If approved by the MCA Board next week, the amendment would pave the way for a concessionary travel pilot offering free travel for under-18s in the Barnsley area.

A report published ahead of the meeting states that under the Transport Act 1985, the scheme “grants, amongst other matters, concessionary travel to all South Yorkshire young persons up to the end of the academic year following their 18th birthday.”

Currently, the child concessionary fare is £1 per journey.

However, earlier this year, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC) announced a two-year pilot to offer free travel for all young people up to the end of the academic year after their 18th birthday.

The pilot would allow eligible young people to travel free of charge between 7am and 9pm, Monday to Sunday.

Free travel will apply both to journeys within the Borough of Barnsley and to trips where the boarding or alighting point is in Barnsley, provided the entire journey stays within South Yorkshire.

The pilot is set to begin on August 1.

Today, Barnsley Council (and SYMCA) also revealed the design of the Barnsley MiCard travel pass, which will be used during the pilot.

The launch marks the return of the MiCard, which was previously in use between 2009 and 2017.

The new MiCard will be available to all Barnsley residents aged 5 to 18.