The Scottish Government earlier today announced the free bus travel scheme will be extended to young people in Scotland from early next year.
Research conducted by Transport Scotland found almost two-thirds of young Scots agree access to public transport will play a vital role in tackling climate change.
Around 70% of young people polled said they would use public transport more frequently if it was free.
Government officials say around 930,000 people are set to benefit from the scheme.
Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the extension of the free bus travel in line with a commitment agreed with the Scottish Green Party.
Who will free bus travel be available to?
Every resident in Scotland under the age of 22 will be able to board a bus free of charge from January under the scheme.
The First Minister said it will give young Scots a ‘better chance to succeed in life’ while promoting the benefits of sustainable travel at an early stage.
Sturgeon said: “We are committed to giving out young people the very best chances to succeed in life.
“The extension of free bus travel to all under 22s will improve access to education, leisure and work, while supporting the adoption of sustainable travel behaviours early in their lives.
“COP26 must be the turning point for the world, and action must be taken if we are to ‘keep 1.5 alive’ and Governments across the world must act to support this.
“Adopting more sustainable travel behaviour is vital if we are to reach out world-leading goal of reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car by 20 per cent by 2030 and reaching net zero emissions by 2045.”
When will young Scots be able to take advantage of the scheme?
The Scottish Government confirmed free bus travel will be available for Scots under 22 from January 31, 2022.
More than 900,000 people will benefit from the scheme from this date, according to Government figures.
Is anyone else eligible for free bus travel in Scotland?
Scots over the age of 60 or with a disability are already eligible for free bus travel in Scotland.
Anyone who meets the eligibility criteria must apply for a National Entitlement Card and should contact the local authority for details of the application process in their area.
It is believed around 1.2 million Scots currently benefit from the scheme.
More information on the free bus travel initiative currently in place can be found here.
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