Who Pays for Kids' Free Rides?

Free travel for under 11s? Maybe not such a good idea...

Who Pays For Kids’ Free Ride?

When your teenage children go out on a Friday or Saturday night, or indeed any other time of the week, do you honestly know where they are, what they’re doing or who they are with? Unless you’re a regular bus user, then probably not.

Buses seem to have become the new hang outs for Loughton’s youth. Following the introduction of dispersal orders in many areas of the town, along with the government’s free travel for under 16s initiative, young children are now regularly using bus routes as mobile youth clubs.

Arguments that this keeps the growing number of kids in the area “off the streets” do not bode will with either fellow passengers or bus drivers.

Often in gangs around twenty strong, these children are – usually – rowdy and boisterous. Travelling to no specific destination, they shout from one to the other, often using the most “colourful” language. They speak of fights, both past and future. They vandalise bus fillings and intimidate bus passengers. They regularly verbally abuse drivers for no obvious reason, resorting to kicking the bus itself should the driver refuse to let them board.

The antics of these youngsters is not only anti-social, it is often downright dangerous. Burning seats, trying to stand unsupported while the bus is moving and actually opening the doors and disembarking as and when they choose are just some of the “games” they play.

Free public transport is a privilege and these youngsters need to realise and act upon this notion before they wreak further havoc on the safety, security and sanity of genuine, fare paying passengers.

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