Schoolchildren face higher bus fares without smartphones
Digitised discount schemes penalise families who do not provide children with mobile phones.
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Children in England who do not own smartphones may face additional annual bus fares amounting to hundreds of pounds. This situation arises because discount schemes for young travellers are increasingly being digitised and made accessible only through mobile applications.
Critics contend that by restricting discounts to app users, bus operators are inadvertently undermining government advice aimed at keeping mobile phones out of schools. Adele Kightley reported that her 11-year-old daughter faces an extra £546 per year for school travel because Derbyshire county council's b_line card discount scheme mandates smartphone registration.
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The b_line card normally caps single fares on trentbarton buses at £1.50 for individuals aged 18 and under. However, to access this reduced fare, users must register their student card via a smartphone app. Showing the same student card to a bus driver and paying with cash or a card does not provide the discount, according to Kightley.
Trentbarton acknowledged that its ticketing machines are not equipped to read the council-issued student cards. A spokesperson for the bus company stated they are working rapidly to create a new physical card that will offer the b_line discount for under-19s. In the interim, the company assured that all young people would continue to receive various discounts off adult fares, regardless of their payment method.
The East Midlands combined county authority expressed understanding for parents wishing to avoid smartphones for their children. The authority indicated it would consider how young people access discounted fares as part of its regional fares and ticketing strategy development.
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Concerns over equity and screen time
Daisy Greenwell, a co-founder of the campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood, highlighted that the growing reliance on digital-only passes disadvantages lower-income households and conflicts with efforts to limit children's screen time. She noted that many parents and schools are trying to delay smartphone adoption for children, but bus companies are making this more difficult by charging smartphone-free children significantly more for the same journeys.
Greenwell added that over 200,000 parents have joined the campaign group's pledge to postpone giving children smartphones until at least age 14. She observed that essential services continue to be designed with the assumption that all children possess smartphones, making smartphone ownership a de facto requirement for accessing cheaper bus fares, particularly for families with limited financial resources.
Kightley stated that her family's decision not to give their children smartphones was based on evidence of their negative impact on developing brains. She projected that if her younger child also starts secondary school without a smartphone, the annual cost for their travel would increase by nearly £1,100 compared to if they had app-based discount access.
A law banning mobile phones in English schools took effect in June. However, the Department for Education clarified that this legislation does not extend to travel to school, and the implementation of app-only fare discounts is a decision for individual bus operators. This governmental stance has been described as sending mixed messages by Greenwell, who believes bus fares should not impede schools' policies on restricting smartphone use on their premises. She suggested that both government and bus companies have an opportunity to ensure all children can access the same fares, with or without a smartphone.
Stagecoach and Compass, other regional operators mentioned as requiring smartphones for discounts, were contacted for comment.
Questions this report answers
+How much extra could schoolchildren pay for bus fares without a smartphone?
Schoolchildren without smartphones may face annual bus fare increases of hundreds of pounds. For example, one parent reported an additional cost of £546 per year for their daughter's travel to school.
+Why are some schoolchildren facing higher bus fares?
This is due to digitised discount schemes, such as Derbyshire county council's b_line card, which require registration via a smartphone app. Families who do not provide their children with smartphones cannot access these reduced fares.
+What is being done to address the issue of digital-only bus passes?
Trentbarton bus company is developing a new physical card to provide discounts for under-19s. Campaign groups are also advocating for accessible fares that do not require smartphone ownership.
+Does the law banning phones in schools affect these bus fare rules?
No, the law banning mobile phones in English schools does not cover travel to school. The Department for Education considers app-only fare discounts a matter for individual bus operators.
WE FILE
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The London Travel Desk assembled this report from the outlets listed below. Language-model drafting is reviewed under human editorial supervision, with scoring notes and corrections kept visible.
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