Free Bus Travel For Kids In Brighton & Hove Until 2025

Younger passengers using buses across the city can benefit from free fares (if accompanied) and cheaper fares (unaccompanied) until 2025. 

As part of the city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), two new fare offers have been introduced across all bus operators in the city, this includes, Brighton & Hove Buses, Compass Travel, Stagecoach and The Big Lemon.

It’s hoped the offers will encourage more people to use our excellent bus network and a sustainable way of getting around Brighton & Hove.

The offers will mean:

• Free travel by up to four children or young people aged 19 or under when accompanied by a fare paying adult or an adult concessionary pass holder. This offer applies at all times, but excludes night-time routes and journeys.

• 50p single journey tickets for unaccompanied children or young people under 19. This offer applies at off peak times only (after 6pm on school days), and any time on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and school holidays but excludes night time routes and journeys. 

All bus operators are also running an offer from 1st January until 31st March 2023 where the cost of a single bus fare will be a maximum of £2. 

This is part of a separate government scheme. More info here:

https://www.moreradio.online/news/sussex-news/just-the-ticket-get-around-for-2-or-less-on-most-west-sussex-bus-routes-in-new-year/

Councillor Steve Davis, Co-Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said:

“We have a fantastic bus network in Brighton & Hove and it really is one of the best ways of getting around the city.

“These fare offers will make it cheaper to get around at a time when we’re all feeling the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Working with our bus operators, the BSIP will make bus travel in the city faster, cheaper and more reliable and I’m looking forward to seeing more of what we’re doing with the BSIP funding throughout 2023 and beyond.

“I’d again like to thank our transport officers for their hard work in securing this funding for the long term benefit of the city’s public transport network.”

Nick Hill, Commercial Director at Brighton & Hove Buses and Metrobus said:

“We want to see even more young people and families choose to travel on our buses and benefit from the great value fares. 

“With the high cost of living impacting on people's lives, we want to do everything we can to keep local people connected with the people and places they value most. 

“We’re committed to keeping travel on our buses affordable and accessible for everyone.”

Stagecoach South's Commercial Director, James O'Neill said:

“We're pleased to see the City Council invest further in sustainable public transport, making it easier than ever for first-time customers to switch to bus.” 

“We look forward to working in partnership with the Council in the years ahead".

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What is the Bus Service Improvement Plan?

In March 2021, the government asked local councils, working with bus operators, to produce an ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

The BSIP sets out targets for things like journey times, reliability, passenger growth and customer satisfaction. Actions in other areas such as zero emissions vehicles will also be monitored and reported against. 

The city’s BSIP was approved by members of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee in September 2021 and they were awarded £27.9m to implement our BSIP in spring of last year.

More information about the Bus Service Improvement Plan can be found here:  https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/travel-and-road-safety/travel-transport-and-road-safety/brighton-hove-bus-service-improvement-plan-bsip