Discounted public transport in Scotland – a new benefit for students or a small extension of the child fare?

It has been reported over the last few weeks that one of the Scottish Executive’s key plans, discounted public transport for students, is set to be watered-down in its implementation. The reports suggest that instead of being offered to all students, discounts will only be offered to people aged 18 or under in full-time education or training in Scotland.

NUS Scotland has been campaigning for many years for the Scottish Executive to implement public transport discounts for students. Prior to the recent reports, our fear has been that these discounts would only be applied to ‘young students’, ie those under 25 and not be extended to mature students, but hearing the reports that travel discounts are to stop at age 18 is very disappointing.

The Scottish Executive’s own student income and expenditure survey revealed earlier this year that students receive far less money that they need to live on, and have to make up the significant shortfall from working long hours in low paid jobs or through racking up credit card debt. It is vital that all full-time students are included in any plans to make public transport cheaper, helping to ensure that students’ money can go a little bit further.

At a time when getting people onto public transport is high on the political agenda and students are at the forefront of environmental campaigning, it seems odd to place barriers in front of students that want to take the bus. Often habits learned while studying last a lifetime, so encouraging students to take public transport can only help the environment in the future.

NUS Scotland has information that Scottish Ministers will make their final decision on this issue within the next few weeks, so we are encouraging students across Scotland to send letters to Scotland’s Transport Minister, Tavish Scott MSP, urging him to introduce public transport discounts for all full-time students.

Below is a model letter to send to Tavish Scott. Letters can be sent to:

Tavish Scott MSP

The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh

EH99 1SP

If you include your address details, you should receive a reply. The more students that send letters, the greater chance we have of winning this fight and making discounted bus travel a reality for thousands of students in Scotland.

SAMPLE LETTER TO TAVISH SCOTT MSP

Dear Mr Scott MSP

Concessionary public transport fares for students

I am writing to express my concern and disappointment at recent reports stating that concessions for public transport are to be introduced only for students aged 18 or under, a move that is effectively only a small extension of the child’s fare.

Across the student movement in Scotland, we have been campaigning for full-time students of all ages to receive concessionary fares on public transport. The primary reason for this campaign is because students are amongst the poorest groups in society, with the maximum student support falling thousands of pounds below the amount required by students to live, according to both Andrew Cubie in his enquiry into student funding and the Executive’s own student income and expenditure survey. This leads to a situation where students are forced to choose between travelling to college or university and having a hot meal, a choice no-one should have to make.

In addition, the habits learned whilst studying often stick for life, and at a time when the public agenda is to increase the number of people travelling by public transport, placing barriers in the way of students doing this makes very little sense.

I urge you to reconsider the cut-off age for concessionary fares and to implement this benefit for all full-time students.

Yours sincerely

Name

Address

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