If you are a young person and would like to get involved, or a professional who would like to support the plan, please get in touch at Voice@newcastle.gov.uk
Free travel scheme for Care Leavers and Young Carers
Free Travel for Young People in Newcastle
Helping Young People Get Around
We work with Nexus and bus companies to help young people in Newcastle.
Young people who have been in care can travel for free. They can use buses, the Metro, ferries and some trains.
Over 300 young people already have a free travel pass.
This helps them get to school, work, and fun places more easily.
Young people have told us that travel can be too expensive. This can make life harder.
If travel costs a lot of money, it can mean:
- They might not get to school or work easily
- They might not see their friends or family as much
- They might miss out on fun things to do
- They might feel less confident going places on their own
Free travel helps fix this.
It helps young people go where they need to go, see the people they care about, and enjoy life without the worry of money.
Removing Barriers, Building Futures
The free travel scheme makes it easier for young people to:
- Attend college, apprenticeships or work placements
- Take on new job opportunities
- Visit support services and important appointments
- Stay socially connected and active
- Build everyday life skills and independence
This initiative is more than a travel pass. It is a meaningful step towards fairer access to opportunity across Newcastle.
If you’d like to find out more about the scheme or how to access a free travel pass, we’re here to help.
If you are a Newcastle care leaver aged 18–25, you may be eligible for a free Pop Card through this scheme. Please contact your Leaving Care Support Officer or the duty line on 0191 278 2700, and they will support you to complete an application form.
Cheaper Travel for Young People
There are new ways to make travel cheaper for young people:
- All under‑21s can get a bus ride for £1
- All under‑11s can travel for free in the summer
These changes help young people and families travel more easily and save money.
“I have to travel for my job now, so the travel pass comes in really handy for getting the Metro. I didn’t know I was going to need it so much because a few weeks ago I was on universal credit so I was just using it to get to the job centre once a week but now its allowing me to get to work every day which I wouldn’t have been able to afford without it. A lot of young people need to travel and can struggle with the cost so this pass is perfect to give us more freedom.”