First Bus has banned passengers aged 15 and under from travelling alone after 6pm in Stoke-on-Trent due to multiple incidents of antisocial behaviour. The decision follows the introduction of a government scheme offering free bus travel for children.
The ban highlights the challenges of managing increased public transport use by young people during free travel schemes, balancing accessibility with safety and order. It raises questions about the effectiveness of blanket bans versus targeted interventions and the impact on both young people's freedom and public safety.
First Bus has banned all passengers aged 15 and under from travelling alone after 6pm in Stoke-on-Trent, citing multiple incidents of antisocial behaviour. The decision, which came into effect on Friday, follows the introduction of the government's free bus travel scheme for children aged 5 to 15 on August 1.
According to Simon Mathieson, Regional Director for First Bus, the company has seen a large uptake of the free travel offer. However, he reported incidents including over 100 young people acting in an "intimidating and aggressive way" at Hanley bus station, which required police intervention. Drivers have also reported children swinging on handrails and running around the bus while it was in motion, leading to concerns for the safety and comfort of other passengers and staff.
Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker, the cabinet minister for transport at Stoke-on-Trent council, expressed disappointment with the ban, stating that it unfairly penalizes well-behaved children. He questioned why more transport safety officers could not have been deployed instead and suggested that the free travel scheme did not create the behaviour but merely changed its location. He argued that a greater police presence at the bus station would have been a better solution, allowing young people to continue benefiting from free travel.
First Bus stated that the decision was approved by the Department for Transport and has the full support of the council. Drivers will retain discretion to allow free travel for unaccompanied children and young people if they are deemed vulnerable or to ensure their safety. A government spokesperson confirmed that the "Great British Summer Savings scheme" offers flexibility to local operators to manage issues like antisocial behaviour.
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