21 young people dropped out of college because of transport issues, North Herefordshire MP says
21 young people dropped out of college because of transport issues, North Herefordshire MP says
In a rural area like ours, getting public transport like a bus or train is sometimes the only realistic way for people to get to school or work, see the doctor, or go to the shops.
When public transport is reliable, affordable, and efficient, that shouldn’t pose a problem - but in our current system, when services are unreliable or a journey costs more than someone can afford, opportunities can quickly become out of reach.
This can have particularly devastating effects on young people. Just recently I spoke to a 19-year-old constituent who has to pay more than £9 for a return trip to Hereford - and I've learned in conversations with Hereford Sixth Form College that a shocking 21 young people dropped out last year because of transport problems.
That’s a genuinely unacceptable figure; education should open doors for young people, not leave them stuck on the other side because they cannot afford the journey.
That’s why I’ve been campaigning hard in Parliament to secure free bus travel for all young people. I want to see the government recognise transport as a critical part of the infrastructure of opportunity, particularly in rural areas, and implement free bus travel as a practical investment in young people's futures.
I’ve also been working to tackle other issues relating to public transport. I’ve met with trainline operators to discuss the quality and reliability of local services, and I’m continuing to push Ministers for the funding needed to make Ledbury station accessible.
I was really pleased recently to see one campaign deliver a real result: after working with Herefordshire Mencap to raise the issue both locally and in Parliament, Herefordshire Council agreed to remove the time restrictions on disabled bus passes in late 2025 - and this August that change was adopted nationally, too.
That means disabled people can now use their passes when they actually need them, instead of only being able to afford to travel at certain times of day.
There’s still plenty of work to do, but wins like that serve as a brilliant reminder of the massive change we can achieve through pairing local campaigning with parliamentary pressure.
I’m determined to keep that momentum going, using ever lever at my disposal to ensure no one in North Herefordshire is held back by unaffordable, unreliable, or inefficient transport.
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