More than two million bus journeys have been taken by young
people across Wales since the introduction of the £1 bus fare
scheme in September last year.
The Welsh Government scheme, which runs until the end of August
2026, offers all young people aged between 5-21 years a single
fare for just £1 and a £3 day ticket when travelling with any
participating bus services.
On a bus trip from Llangollen to Wrexham, Cabinet
Secretary for Transport and North Wales, said:
“It's fantastic to see so many young people taking advantage of
cheaper bus fares.
“We know that the cost of travel is often a barrier for young
people, especially in rural areas, so I am delighted that our
investment is making travel as accessible and affordable as
possible with the scheme already making a real difference to
young people's lives across Wales.”
Some young people who have been using the new scheme were keen to
share their views when they met with the Transport Secretary.
Avery Stridgen, 17, from North Wales said:
“The £1 bus fare scheme has opened up more opportunities,
enabling me to make and keep social connections and to get back
and fore to college. I now use the bus more than I've done before
and it's because of these cheaper fares.”
Liam Lennard, 17, from Prestatyn added:
“The new scheme has really helped me to get to and from work as I
live in Prestatyn and work in Rhyl. My bus usage has increased
under this scheme, and I hope to see this become a permanent
arrangement.”
Full details of the scheme and participating bus services are
available on the TfW website.
Notes to editors
The number of journeys recorded by all participating bus
operators are provided to TfW who are running the scheme.
The full scheme is running for 12 months across two financial
years (September 2025-August 2026).
The Welsh Government has provided a total of £22m over two
financial years (2025-26 and 2026-27) to support £1 bus fares for
all 5–21-year-olds, which includes £15m secured through the
Budget agreement with the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
.
