URL: https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=4926

Decision Maker:

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose:

Content: 11.1 The Executive Director City Futures submitted a report summaring options for introducing free travel for children and young people in Sheffield, including indicative cost drivers, justification and evidence base, key assumptions, risks and financial sustainability considerations.   The report sets out options for a potential January–July 2027 pilot and recommends further development work subject to Committee direction, to include funding parameters, detailed network analysis and agreement with operators. The report confirmed that it is an options and scoping report. It does not commit the Council to implement a scheme or to allocate funding at this stage.     11.2 RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-       (a) notes that the earliest a free travel pilot could commence in Sheffield would be January 2027 and this will require concerted work from March 2026, with a decision around whether Members wish to proceed sought at the first Strategy and Resources committee meeting following the May 2026 local elections. It is recommended that officers prepare further information to support this decision at that meeting;   (b) notes that costs of a pilot will need to be funded by Sheffield City Council (SCC) for any period up until South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) launch free bus travel (anticipated to be late Summer 2027);   (c) notes that there is widespread political support for the provision of free bus travel for children and young people across the council; and   (d) notes as context for this report that SYMCA is not planning to introduce free travel for under 22s (U22) in the region. The Mayor's transport vision, launched on 16th March 2026, indicates that the focus for the Mayor is provision for under 18s (U18). Therefore, a free travel proposal for U22 in Sheffield would result in ongoing annual costs to SCC, exposing the council to a significant and unquantifiable financial liability. As such, it is recommended that officers work with SYMCA to explore a pilot limited to U18 free travel only, noting that there is currently no identified budget for such a pilot.     11.3 Reasons for Decision     11.3.1 The options set out enable the Committee to provide direction on whether to progress an Under 18 scheme, an Under 22 scheme, or a phased/pilot approach, taking account of the scale of ongoing revenue costs, delivery and capacity risks at peak times, and the absence of an identified sustainable funding source for the more extensive Under 22 option.   Committee direction will enable officers to focus further work on the preferred approach, including detailed network analysis, operator engagement and development of a funding strategy.     11.4 Alternatives Considered and Rejected     11.4.1 Alternative Option 1: Do nothing The council avoids the direct financial commitment that a scheme of this nature requires, and officer time and resource is then available to be deployed on other projects. The potential benefits of the scheme outlined in this report are not realised.      11.4.2 Alternative Option 2: Implement a means tested scheme Learning from the Barnsley under 18s pilot indicates that simple, universal schemes are more easily understood by families, schools and operators, and achieve higher and more consistent take up than targeted alternatives. By contrast, means testing introduces significant administrative burden, requiring eligibility checks, ongoing verification and data sharing arrangements that increase cost, complexity and delivery risk, while potentially delaying implementation. Such schemes also risk lower take up among those most in need, as eligibility thresholds can exclude households experiencing financial pressure but not meeting strict criteria, and the application process itself can act as a barrier. In addition, targeted offers can create stigma and confusion, increasing the risk of inconsistent use and enforcement.  

Date of Decision: March 25, 2026