Free bus travel secured for High Peak students

Hundreds of students in High Peak are set to benefit from free bus travel to colleges in the Manchester area from September this year. 

Labour Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward has been working with Labour High Peak MP Jon Pearce and a group of local parents spearheaded by Glossop resident Vickie Sharpe to confirm a deal with Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to support free bus travel into college in Greater Manchester for students living in High Peak during her campaign to become East Midlands Mayor. 

Claire Ward has announced today that students will begin receiving free travel to college from September, at the start of the new academic year, which could save students and their families hundreds of pounds a year in travel costs. The travel scheme would apply to eligible Derbyshire students travelling on direct bus services to colleges in the Greater Manchester area.

She said: "I’m delighted we’ve been able to identify a way forward for Derbyshire students who need to travel to the Manchester area to study."

When parents came to talk to me about their campaign for cheaper bus fares for college students in High Peak I knew I had to do all I could to help them – it’s simply unfair that Derbyshire’s young people pay hundreds of pounds more a year than those sitting next to them in class.  This is what Labour Mayors working together looks like."

High Peak’s MP, Jon Pearce added: “Claire Ward and I campaigned alongside local parents to deliver on this pledge. High Peak is the only place in Derbyshire where students are sat alongside other kids on the same bus who don’t pay for their travel.”

“This will save hundreds of High Peak families hundreds of pounds a year, and will remove the barriers to education that many parents spoke to me about when we started the campaign with Vickie Sharpe.”

“This is about High Peak getting its fair share, so I’m absolutely delighted that as a Labour team we go this over the line together!”

Glossop mum Vickie Sharpe who has been campaigning for this scheme for almost a year has expressed her gratitude, she said: "When I started this campaign as a local mum at my whit's end I didn't think we'd be able to achieve this result.  The fact the free travel for students is now a reality after all these years proves that the parents and I put our trust in the right leaders to make this happen for the thousands of students past, present and future.”