FOI/202400423094 · FOI · not held
Bus travel scheme for under-22s: FOI Release
Information requested
1. Since the start of the free bus travel scheme for under-22s how many people have been eligible to take part in the scheme? 2. Since the start of the free bus travel scheme for under-22s how many people have made use of the scheme? 3. Since the start of the free bus travel scheme for under-22s how many people in rural areas have been eligible to take part in the scheme? 4. Since the start of the free bus travel scheme for under-22s how many people in rural areas have made use of the scheme? 5. Has the Scottish Government carried out any assessment into any connection between the free bus travel scheme and anti-social behaviour on buses. If so, could you share any results? 6. Has the Scottish Government faced any increased costs from bus companies due to anti-social behaviour on buses since it started? If so, please could you share the total cost to date. 7. Over the course of the next two years, how much does the Scottish expect to spend on the scheme?
Response
1. At the beginning of the scheme on 31 January 2022 we estimated that there were 928,214 young people eligible. The current estimate of young people eligible for the scheme is 1,017,393. Population data is taken from the National Records of Scotland. In addition to those who currently hold a valid young person’s card, it is estimated that a further 1.1% of the estimated population aged 5-21 are also cardholders within the Disabled Persons’ Scheme. We do not hold an overall estimate for all those that would have been eligible from the start of the Young Person’s scheme to present.
2. As at 1 August 2024 there were 752,038 cardholders for the scheme. This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). The data refers to the number of people aged 5-21 with a valid card but does not include products which either start in the future or have expired. We do not hold an overall total number of cardholders who have actively participated in the Young Person’s scheme from launch.
3. The data we hold is broken down by local council area. We are able to provide a breakdown by local council area of the estimated number of those eligible for the Young Person’s scheme at launch in January 2022 and at present. Estimated population data is taken from the National Records of Scotland. In addition to those who currently hold a valid young person’s card, it is estimated that a further 1.1% of the population aged 5-21 are also cardholders within the Disabled Persons’ Scheme.
The breakdown of the estimated eligible amount of people aged 5-21, per local council area, was:
Local council January 2022 estimate Current estimate Aberdeen City 35,782 42,865 Aberdeenshire 47,968 50,714 Angus Council 19,296 20,199 Argyll and Bute 13,291 14,077 City of Edinburgh 80,476 97,655 Clackmannanshire 9,033 9,502 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 4,202 4,274 Dumfries and Galloway 23,484 24,029 Dundee City 25,416 31,147 East Ayrshire 20,879 21,954 East Dunbartonshire 19,670 20,491 East Lothian 19,488 21,551 East Renfrewshire 20,174 21,068 Falkirk 27,959 29,258 Fife 66,367 72,271 Glasgow City 100,942 118,720 Highland 39,337 40,521 Inverclyde 12,619 13,416 Midlothian 17,417 18,424 Moray 16,476 17,000 North Ayrshire 22,778 24,052 North Lanarkshire 62,810 66,565 Orkney Islands 3,549 3,659 Perth & Kinross 24,984 26,241 Renfrewshire 30,110 32,799 Scottish Borders 19,057 19,961 Shetland Islands 4,126 4,462 South Ayrshire 17,865 18,859 South Lanarkshire 55,249 59,618 Stirling 16,515 19,479 West Dunbartonshire 15,405 16,395 West Lothian 35,491 36,167 Total 928,214 1,017,393
4. The data we can provide is broken down by local council area. This data is supplied by the National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO). The data refers to the number of people aged 5-21 with a valid card but does not include products which either start in the future or have expired. We do not hold an overall total number of cardholders who have actively participated in the Young Person’s scheme from launch. As of 1 August 2024 the number of cardholders aged 5-21 in each local council area was as follows:
Aberdeen City 31,455 Aberdeenshire 37,369 Angus Council 14,554 Argyll & Bute 9,607 City of Edinburgh 85,938 Clackmannanshire 5,333 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 3,030 Dumfries and Galloway 15,183 Dundee City 23,474 East Ayrshire 17,576 East Dunbartonshire 14,119 East Lothian 16,654 East Renfrewshire 15,108 Falkirk 18,982 Fife 59,120 Glasgow City 83,470 Highland 23,390 Inverclyde 11,713 Midlothian 14,002 Moray 11,266 North Ayrshire 20,059 North Lanarkshire 49,614 Orkney Islands 2,330 Perth & Kinross 18,939 Renfrewshire 25,076 Scottish Borders 13,320 Shetland Islands 3,404 South Ayrshire 12,369 South Lanarkshire 46,459 Stirling 11,379 West Dunbartonshire 13,806 West Lothian 23,940 Total 752,038
5. To understand the impact of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme, the Scottish Government have committed to an ongoing evaluation during the first five years of operation. This includes a one year after launch evaluation published earlier this year. This includes consideration of the impact of antisocial behaviour on cardholders, other bus users and the bus industry. This evaluation can be found on the Transport Scotland website.
6. The Scottish Government has not faced increased costs from bus operators with regard to antisocial behaviour.
7. In the financial year 2024-25, the scheme is expected to cost up to an estimated £200 million in reimbursement claims. The Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme is the first of its kind globally. Therefore there is not sufficient economic, demographic or travel pattern data to make such estimates for future years.
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