A £70,000 scheme to give youngsters greater freedom to travel for less has been launched.
The A2B Now card is a reduced fare bus travel card for five to 20-year-olds living in Westmorland and Furness outside school travel times.
The pass costs £10 a year and is valid on local bus services within Westmorland and Furness. It entitles holders to bus travel for £1.80 (single) and £3 (return). If the normal fare is less than this travellers will pay the normal fare.
It is hoped it will help increase young people’s access to to leisure, sports, social participation and culture; improve transport support to those children and young people who are otherwise isolated or excluded and increasing use of public transport, reduce the number of car journeys on the road network and carbon emissions, and encourage and normalising the use of public transport from a young age.
The scheme is one of 14 projects representing £5 million of priority investments for Westmorland and Furness agreed by the council’s cabinet.
Completed application forms can be taken to the nearest library, with evidence of address and age, a recent passport photo and £10.
Barrow, Kendal and Penrith library staff will be able to take applicants’ photograph and help complete application forms.
Completed forms with copies of documents, a passport photo and a cheque for £10 can also be sent to NoWcard Applications, Westmorland & Furness Council, PO Box 415, Carlisle, CA1 9GU.
Tickets must be bought in Westmorland and Furness but the card is also valid for bus travel to all stops on journeys to Carlisle, Keswick and Lancaster, where the journey starts in Westmorland and Furness.
Cards can be used at weekends and school holidays, and on school days but not before 9.30am or between 3pm and 5pm.
Running alongside the A2B Now card will be a 16-to-19 Travel Bursary Fund – a separate priority project set to be launched next month to provide financial support to young people to help them to overcome barriers and challenges to travel for education, learning and training.
