Families in the West are set to save millions more on bus fares, with the £1 child fare cap being extended until Spring 2029 by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, as part of a wider fares support package for bus passengers.
The £1 child fare cap has already saved families across the region around £1.1 million over the last year. With the regional child fares freeze continuing until Spring 2029, families are set to save a further £3.3 million by then.
These savings are on top of the £1.1 million already saved in the nine weeks of the summer and Christmas holidays thanks to Kids Go Free, since June 2025, with disproportionate increases in children’s journeys from low-income areas during the scheme last summer compared to the same period in 2024.
Since last spring, people across the West have also already saved at least another £800,000 on bus fares thanks to a raft of regional initiatives:
- Over £350,000 thanks to the fare freeze for the multi-operator day ticket
- Over £410,000 thanks to free travel for care leavers
- Over £45,000 thanks to free travel for Youth Guarantee participants
The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is investing some of the Bus Grant secured from the Department of Transport, to continue to freeze child fares at £1 for the next three years – reducing children’s fares by up to 50%. Under national rules, child fares usually cost half as much as adult fares; so under the national £3 fare cap, children’s fares elsewhere can be up to £1.50 per journey.
The multi-operator fare cap will also be extended, as will the free bus travel for care leavers up to the age of 25 and Youth Guarantee free bus pass offer, and the Diamond Pass which allows people of a pensionable age and Disabled people to travel for free.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“People around the West are already benefitting from our £1 child fare cap, so parents and carers will be glad to hear that we have frozen child fares for the next three years. Local families are expected to save more than £4 million as a result by 2029, helping ease the cost of living.
“Our child fare cap is making a difference that people can see and feel, as part of region-wide efforts to help lift more children out of poverty. Likewise, the extension of free bus travel for care leavers and Diamond Pass holders will be a real help for a range of bus passengers in the West of England.”
The Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said:
“Keeping the cost of travel down for families is vital, and I’m pleased to see the West of England is leading the way with the £1 child fare cap extended through to 2029, thanks to our Bus Grant.
“This practical, targeted support, made possible by £42 million of Government funding, helps with the cost of living while making it easier for young people to access education, opportunities, and their communities.
“We’re determined to support the delivery of affordable, reliable and accessible transport networks that passengers deserve.”
Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said:
“We welcome the extension of the £1 child fare cap. Freezing child fares will save families across Bristol at a time of rising cost of living pressures, and make it easier for children and young people to get around our city and region.
“This practical support for parents and carers encourages more people to choose the bus. We’re also pleased to see the multi‑operator cap extended, free bus travel for care leavers up to 25, and for Diamond Pass holders.
“We will continue working with the Mayoral Combined Authority, bus operators and neighbouring councils to deliver reliable and affordable services.”
Councillor Hugh Malyan, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at North Somerset Council, said:
“This is providing meaningful support to our communities in the face of rising costs, and is helping more young people to use public transport. Extension of these schemes will mean increased access to services for many, and at the same time support wider ambitions for a cleaner, more sustainable and inclusive transport network for the future.”
Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said:
“Making bus travel affordable for children and care leavers is about more than saving families money, it’s about helping young people feel confident getting around in everyday life. When children learn how to use the bus early on and feel comfortable travelling independently, it opens up access to school, clubs, jobs and seeing friends, without always relying on lifts. By building these habits early, we’re making everyday journeys easier and setting young people up to travel independently now and into adulthood.”
Over the coming weeks, the regional authority is set to invite people to have their say on its developing Bus Plan – to enable councils, bus operators, and communities to work together to build a bus network that people can rely on. Better buses are a key area of focus for the West, earmarked as a priority for the record £752 million of transport investment from government secured last year.
The Transport Vision published last month by the Mayor and council leaders set out an ambition for reliable, affordable services with one ticket and one timetable, alongside improvements to the growing regional rail network, mass transit plans, safer active travel, and improved streets.
