Greener Journeys Back to Work

An old news report from before Christmas has just caught my eye. Greener Journeys - a campaign to promote greener travel - was set up in 2009 by Arriva, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead and Stagecoach. In January 2013 some 80,000 unemployed jobseekers were offered free bus travel for the month. The scheme covered holders of a JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card. Those eligible for this card are people claiming JobSeekers Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Employment & Support Allowance or Income Support and who are actively engaged with a JobCentre Plus advisor. So, well done to those bus companies for helping to set up Greener Journeys.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Nick Hollinghurst (Tring and the Villages) said, "This was an excellent initiative, but it needs permanent support from Central and Local Government - and extension to all young people, apprentices and school children. Why cannot our young people have the sort of transport support that is commonplace in most European countries?"

"Herts County Council does support some socially important routes but Dacorum Borough Council pulled out of public transport nearly 10 years ago. Now they are giving limited encouragement for bus travel between Hemel Hempstead and the Maylands Industrial Estate, but this helps only those in work already.

"We need to be helping the unemployed back to work, giving the young the freedom of free public transport and parents the freedom from daily unpaid taxi duties!"

New research from Greener Journeys (Sept 2013) has revealed that a quarter of unemployed young people have missed out on job opportunities because there was no bus to take them to work - four fifths have no access to a car and are strongly dependent on public transport.

Liberal Democrat MP, Norman Baker, until recently Transport Minister in the Coalition Government, said at the time "The policy proposals put forward in the Bus 2020 report by Greener Journeys is a welcome contribution to the debate.

"Buses enable people of all ages to get to work, but particularly young people who are more reliant on bus services than any other demographic.

"We will continue to work with the bus industry to ensure it remains an affordable and reliable form of transport for the young people of Britain."