[West of England Mayor, Helen Godwin. Photo Credit: West of England Combined Authority]
The first week of the hugely popular Kids Go Free scheme in the West of England this summer saw over 156,000 free bus journeys taken by children, marking another yearly increase in under-16s using the bus compared to when the scheme first began.
Between Saturday 18 July and Friday 24 July this year, there were 156,473 free single journeys taken by children in the region, compared to 116,838 in the first week of the scheme in 2025 and 100,748 from the same period in 2024, before the scheme was introduced.
The week also saw more free trips than any week during Kids Go Free in 2025, smashing the previous record (135,085).
Since Kids Go Free launched in summer 2025, it has saved families across the West of England more than £1.5 million and been so successful that the Government announced £100 million of investment for the scheme to be rolled out nationally throughout August.
The West of England remains unique as a place where young people can enjoy free bus travel throughout the whole seven weeks of the summer holidays, with the offer running from Saturday 18 July until Sunday 6 September.
Over 150,000 children aged 5-15 years old are eligible to take part across the region, with young people able to hop on the bus for free without needing to register.
Previous data showed the biggest increase in bus travel was amongst communities with lower incomes, with journeys rising by an average of 98% in areas where family incomes are among the lowest 10% nationally.
Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, said:
“It is fantastic to see more young people than ever before making the most of free bus travel across the West. We know what a massive impact Kids Go Free had when we first introduced it last year, with families saving money and kids getting the chance to explore parts of our region they had never been able to visit before.
“Children throughout the whole country are now enjoying free bus travel in August thanks to the success of Kids Go Free in the West Country. It was wonderful to welcome the Prime Minister to Bath recently, and for him to meet some of the children and campaigners from our region who have made the case for free bus travel for young people over the years.
“I am thrilled to see the scheme continuing to go from strength to strength in the West of England, with an incredible 156,473 journeys in the first week making it even more popular this year than last.”
Simon Lightwood, Local Transport Minister, said:
“Recently it’s been too hard for families to enjoy their time together as they face persistent cost of living pressures. Often those “nice to have” trips in the summer get cancelled so families can make ends meet.
“We are taking the action so families can enjoy the days out they deserve for less, giving them room to breathe. Children aged 5-15 can travel on participating local buses in England for free throughout August as part of our Great British Summer Savings, which is giving money off attractions and restaurants as well as cheaper train fares.
“We want everyone to enjoy their summer holidays and by taking this action, we hope no one misses out on the small plans that make life more fun with loved ones.”
Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council; Councillor Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council and Deputy Mayor of the West of England; Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council; Councillor Maggie Tyrrell, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council; and Councillor Ian Boulton, Co-Leader of South Gloucestershire Council, said in a joint statement:
“We’re pleased to see another significant increase in the number of children enjoying free bus travel throughout our region. Behind every ticket is a young person with somewhere to be – whether that’s kids visiting their grandparents, exploring new places with their friends, or going shopping on the high street.
“There is so much to see across our fantastic region, and we encourage as many young people to benefit from the recently announced new and improved bus services as possible this summer.”
The free fares are funded using some of the Bus Grant funding secured by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and North Somerset Council from the Department for Transport.
Outside of the offer period, child fares in the West remain among the cheapest in country, with the £1 cap recently frozen until 2029. Children under five years of age already travel for free on the majority of services in the West of England.
Hundreds more young people in care, and care leavers, are also set to benefit from up to ten years of free bus travel across the West of England: one of the UK’s most generous schemes, and saving them up to £10,000 each. The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has extended the scheme to include young people aged 16 and 17 who are currently in care.
