Guiding Navigation for Prosperity
The Health Foundation's Young People's Future Health Inquiry has launched a new policy post, Transport to Thrive, which aims to address the transport barriers that young people aged 16-24 face in accessing life-defining opportunities and experiences. This project is one of five policy posts advocating for policies to enable young people to thrive.
Transport to Thrive is working with a panel of 'Young Advisors', who are experts with lived experience, providing insight and creativity, and guiding on project priorities. The first policy briefing from this project focuses on the current situation with regards to bus fare support for young people across the UK.
This report is the first of its kind to focus on the 16-24 age group who are leaving behind youth and moving into adulthood. It highlights that many places that young people need to go, such as education, training, apprenticeships, and first jobs, are not well-served by transport options available to them.
Young people have less disposable income compared to older age groups, which can limit travel options. They are more likely to rely on the bus than other age groups, but for many young people, cost is a barrier to using the bus. The report presents new analyses of national travel data, combined with insights from in-depth interviews with young people leaving school and college.
The report recommends ways to improve transport for 16-24-year-olds and support social and economic outcomes for the next generation of leaders, and society as a whole. It suggests that improving bus fare support for young people could help to overcome the transport barriers they face, enabling them to access the opportunities they need to thrive.
The Transport to Thrive project aims to raise the profile of 12-24-year-olds with decision-makers by collecting evidence and insights. It is part of a broader movement to ensure that transport policy and planning consider the needs of young people, leading to a better match between transport investment and the needs of this age group.
Car ownership among young people is lower than other age groups and is declining over time. Bus travel is an integral part of a sustainable transport system, providing access to places that are difficult to reach by walking, wheeling or cycling. The project aims to address the transport barriers that young people aged 16-24 face in accessing life-defining opportunities and experiences.
The Health Foundation is an independent charity committed to improving health and healthcare for people in the UK. Through the Transport to Thrive project, they are working to ensure that young people have the mobility they need to develop, learn, expand horizons, and ultimately thrive. The decisions young people make regarding transport can have long-term impacts on skills development, future income, personal and professional networks, and health outcomes.
The Transport to Thrive project is a step towards ensuring that young people in the UK have the transport options they need to succeed in life. By improving bus fare support for young people, we can help to overcome the transport barriers they face and support their social and economic outcomes.
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