Yesterday (Wednesday, 09 July 2025), a group of us met with government officials in Glasgow to call for a more inclusive and accessible public transport system.
Islay Jackson, Emma Henderson, and Mairi Millar MSYPs from the Transport, Environment and Rural Affairs (TERA) Committee sat down with Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, to continue discussions on the extension of the Under 22s Free Travel Scheme to all modes of transport.
We pointed out that, under the current terms and conditions, this scheme only allows our constituents to access unlimited bus travel across Scotland, except in Edinburgh, however, where tram travel is also included.
As part of the meeting’s agenda, the TERA Committee also highlighted how important it is for young people to be able to enjoy free travel until their 26th birthday, making it easier to travel for work, study, and leisure.
At SYP, we’ve been calling for this concessionary age range to be extended since January 2019, after we carried out a consultation that invited young people to share their views on public transport. You can read the All Abroad report here.
Emma Henderson, MSYP for Cunninghame North, said: “Meeting with the Transport Secretary was a surreal experience, discussing expanding the free travel to under-26s and how young people can be involved with a guide on what behaviour is acceptable on public transport.
“Having free ferry travel for Islanders will benefit me and other young islanders on islands that don’t already benefit from the scheme.”
More recently, we’ve raised concerns about the Scottish Government’s plans to temporarily or permanently revoke access to the Under 22s Free Travel Scheme for young people found to be engaging in antisocial behaviour on public transport. We’re aware that such measures risk further stigmatising young people, rather than addressing the root causes of the behaviour!
Mairi Millar, MSYP for Angus North and Mearns, commented: “Meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport was very productive, and we want to thank her and her team for taking the time to listen to all of us and for being enthusiastic about our conversation.
“I found the discussions around improving bus services and reliability very important for the young people in the rural area that I represent.”
We’ll continue to monitor the development of these policies, and further updates will be shared on our website.
