Drop the under-16s bus ban now in Stoke-on-Trent
Simon Mathieson (First Bus Regional Director East & Midlands), Cllr Jane Ashworth, Cllr Sarah Jane Colclough, and Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker
We are disappointed to read the news of First Bus’ discriminatory ban on all under-16s travelling alone after 6pm in Stoke-on-Trent.
We welcomed the decision to grant free bus travel to all under-16s during the August holidays. The children of our city deserve the right to travel freely, at ease and enjoy the place they call home. Our young people have it hard enough as it is. Their parents work hard, while community centres have dwindled over the past sixteen years. This decision punishes young people unfairly for the city's lack of community spaces and developmental resources, and costs families money.
Our city is full of vacant land and buildings that landlords leave to rot. The council should use its resources and powers to transform some of this vacant land into community spaces for young people. Projects like Stoke Town’s Brilliant Bamboo show us what is possible.
Manchester has recently brought in free travel for under-16s all year round, saving families roughly £500 a year per child - why not Stoke? It is essential that our leaders and infrastructure support young people’s health, confidence and growth.
We demand that:
1) First Bus East & Midlands immediately rescind their discriminatory ban on all under-16s travelling alone after 6pm;
2) Stoke-on-Trent City Council use its resources and powers to acquire brownfield sites for the opening of community spaces for young people across the city;
3) Stoke-on-Trent City Council actively lobby the government to follow Manchester’s model and implement free bus travel for all under-16s all year round.
If you support these demands and want to see First Bus and Stoke-on-Trent City Council take action, please sign and share this petition.
We want the children and young people of our city to have the best start in life.
-Bread&Roses
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To:
Simon Mathieson (First Bus Regional Director East & Midlands), Cllr Jane Ashworth, Cllr Sarah Jane Colclough, and Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Simon Mathieson (First Bus Regional Director East & Midlands), Cllr Jane Ashworth, Cllr Sarah Jane Colclough, and Cllr Finlay Gordon-McCusker,
We are disappointed to read the news of First Bus’ discriminatory ban on all under-16s travelling alone after 6pm in Stoke-on-Trent.
We welcomed the decision to grant free bus travel to all under-16s during the August holidays. The children of our city deserve the right to travel freely, at ease and enjoy the place they call home. Our young people have it hard enough as it is. Their parents work hard, while community centres have dwindled over the past sixteen years. This decision punishes young people unfairly for the city's lack of community spaces and developmental resources, and costs families money.
Our city is full of vacant land and buildings that landlords leave to rot. The council should use its resources and powers to transform some of this vacant land into community spaces for young people. Projects like Stoke Town’s Brilliant Bamboo show us what is possible.
Manchester has recently brought in free travel for under-16s all year round, saving families roughly £500 a year per child - why not Stoke? It is essential that our leaders and infrastructure support young people’s health, confidence and growth.
We demand that:
1) First Bus East & Midlands immediately rescind their discriminatory ban on all under-16s travelling alone after 6pm;
2) Stoke-on-Trent City Council use its resources and powers to acquire brownfield sites for the opening of community spaces for young people across the city;
3) Stoke-on-Trent City Council actively lobby the government to follow Manchester’s model and implement free bus travel for all under-16s all year round.
We want the children and young people of our city to have the best start in life.