£20 bus passes for U18s predicted to arrive on time

Saturday 12 February 2022

Jersey's Infrastructure Minister has promised his officials are on track to deliver £20-a-year bus passes for young people in time for the deadline at the end of next month.

Deputy Kevin Lewis was responding to a question from St. Helier Rob Ward, who was successful in amending the Government plan to get the passes agreed, at an estimated saving for a family of £260 annually.

The system to offer £20 bus passes for under-18s was approved by the Government in December 2021.

“Will the Minister state the estimated date,” wrote Deputy Ward “for when the £20 annual bus pass for young people aged 18 and under (as agreed in the Government Plan 2022-2025) will be made available?”

Deputy Kevin Lewis, Minister for Infrastructure, responded to the comments earlier this week. “Work has commenced to bring forward these changes”, replied the Minister, “and my officers have been liaising closely with LibertyBus to develop a scheme, which involves the configuration of a new smartcard pass by an external supplier.” 

“Certain aspects have yet to be finalised, however the objective remains to achieve a commencement date on or before the deadline of the 31 March 2022 set by the Amendment to the Government Plan.”

Pictured: The Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Kevin Lewis, is aiming for the bus pass scheme to commence by 31 March 2022.

The new passes are planned to be available for purchase by “late February or early March” and, with “several thousand applications” expected, work on the administrative side of the system will be carried out in the weeks before the scheme is released. 

The Minister of Infrastructure's response to Deputy Ward's question can be read in full here.