Sheffield's under 18s to get free bus travel - this is when it will start

The MiCard scheme in Barnsley launched in August last year, offering youngsters between the age of five and 18 in the borough free access to buses.

Now youngsters in Sheffield are to get the same.

Supported by Barnsley Council and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), the highly successful travel plan has seen more than 17,000 children in the borough gain access to the card by January this year in Barnsley.

One such youngster is Barnsley College student Bailey Hargate, who in recent months has been working with SYMCA as plans to roll out the scheme into Sheffield by January 2027 take shape.

“It’s all about broadening opportunities,” she told The Star at an event laying out the future of South Yorkshire’s public transport network at the City Hall.

“Especially people who aren’t really well off enough to have the access to the car and driving lessons, especially in this economy.

“It’s so important that people can go and get a bus and have the money for that fair, especially for young people who are going into future careers.”

Mayor Oliver Coppard included the proposals for free transport as part of his wider ‘People’s Network’ plan - a long-term strategy set to revitalise public transport across South Yorkshire.

While Sheffield is next on the list, free transport for under 18s is also planned for Rotherham and Doncaster in the future.

The region’s bus network will be taken under the control of SYMCA in summer 2027, with the mayor saying this will help plan services for people, rather than profit.

He added: “I grew up in a place called the South Yorkshire’s people republic.

“The people’s republic of South Yorkshire was who we were and that was all about putting people at the heart of every decision and that’s what we want to do again.

“We want to make sure the transport network of South Yorkshire serves the people of South Yorkshire, whether that’s accessible fairs, whether that’s better timetables, better routes and better integrated services.”

Bailey said these decisions made her feel listened to, adding: “I’m just a normal college student in Barnsley and seeing it from their point of view and having my view listened to and actually thought about in something so big it makes you really think that you can rely on your mayor and people in power to truly take charge and change things that should have been changed a long time ago.