SNP’s flagship ‘free’ bus travel for under-22s costs taxpayers £222m

The SNP’s flagship free bus travel for under-22s has cost the taxpayer £222m in just two years, despite huge budgetary pressures on the public purse. The Scottish Government introduced the concessionary service in 2022 amid Cop26 coming to Glasgow, with it being a Scottish Greens-led policy.

It officially launched in January 2022, but suffered a low uptake rate, especially in rural areas. And the price of it has soared in recent years, rising by over £100m in the space of a year, going from £102,378,600.88 up to February 2023, to a massive £222,946,885 up to the same month in 2024.

First Minister John Swinney has warned that Scotland faces tough public financial decisions in the next few years, blaming the UK Government for austerity and calling for Scexit to solve the cost-of-living crisis. However, his SNP Executive is handing out £216.5m to bus operators to reimburse them for allowing kids and young people on service for free, according to freedom of information figures received by the Scottish Daily Express.

They are also spending £6.4m on “implementation and ongoing operating costs” to allow the policy to run. We previously told how the total cost of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme would hit almost £300m next year, and these updated figures show this could happen.

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A value-for-money assessment is still yet to be undertaken on the project, with this happening “usually three years after the introduction of the scheme.” An official added: “This is to allow enough time for the benefits of the scheme to mature, and ensure an accurate and robust cost/benefit assessment.”

Anti-social issues related to the initiative have been brought up at the Scottish Parliament, with Scottish Tory transport spokesman Graham Simpson calling on the power to recall the bus passes from kids who misbehave. In December last year, he pointed out that between 3-5 November, Lothian Buses suffered £1,700 worth of broken windows in Edinburgh.

He also added that Livingston councillors claimed the under-22 free bus pass scheme had “fuelled a rise in disorder”, with youngsters travelling from Edinburgh and Fife “intent on causing trouble”. He said: “Lothian Buses keeps figures, which show that there has been a significant increase in antisocial behaviour since the introduction of the scheme. It is at record levels throughout the country.”

Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour MSP for Edinburgh Southern added that the scheme had “led to the phenomenon of young people travelling far and wide in order to carry out antisocial behaviour”. Meanwhile, Sharon Dowey stated: “There is no doubt that antisocial behaviour on buses has increased dramatically since the free bus travel scheme was introduced.”

SNP Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop highlighted that free travel for under-22s had reduced travel costs and encouraged a modal shift away from cars. However, she added; “There is also a real issue in respect of how and when entitlement would be removed, and I do not believe that it would be appropriate for our bus drivers to do that.

“I assure members that I have asked officials to look at what temporary digital blocking measures could be used, but I understand that that would require police time and co-operation on identification of offending individuals, increased administrative time and expertise, and technological fixes that are not yet apparent.”

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