Over 35,000 young Glaswegians now received free bus pass

The figure was confirmed at Glasgow’s full council meeting last week when Labour councillor Eva Murray asked why Glasgow lagged behind the rest of Scotland in making sure under 22s got their travel card.

It was previously revealed just over seven per cent had the bus pass in the city compared to the 10.5 per cent nationally.

The programme began on January 31 and councillor Murray has raised concerns about how complicated the application is. There have been reports of some parents just abandoning the process.

During the full council meeting on Thursday she asked the convener for sustainability and carbon reduction Anna Richardson, what the council was doing to address this.

Councillor Richardson said: “This is not a project I have had any direct involvement in. It is a national initiative that Glasgow Life are supporting the delivery of.

“That being said I have taken a keen interest in the roll out as I see the huge benefits of making travel more accessible and affordable for families and young people.

“I have made a series of representations to the education convener to seek assurance that the process will be made simpler and more accessible with as many barriers removed as possible.”

Councillor Richardson said the current uptake of the cards including both those who have received the cards or who have a pending application is now approximately 31 percent of the eligible population.

She said: “In absolute numbers that’s more than 35,000 and the current school visits are expected to add another eight to 12,000 applications to that total.

“With regards to the uptake for under 22s in Glasgow we note an inaccuracy in the figures reported and the figures quoted in our records.

“A working group has been established to make sure no individual or groups of young people are omitted.”

Councillor Murray thanked Ms Richardson for her reassurances and an update on the steps taken to address the issue.

Councillor Murray said: “It is great to hear about the progress we have made in terms of school aged children in particular.

“What will we be doing as a council to maximise uptake for those young people who are outside education and beyond school age?”

Councillor Richardson said that she did not have a great deal she could add to the response already given as she was not directly involved in the project.

She added: “The information I have given today is around education services and what they have been doing. I don’t have any further information but I would be more than happy to have something sent offline.”