Memorandum by the YMCA (Bus 53)
BUSES
This document highlights transport problems
faced by young people that the YMCA works with across England.
All the evidence is based on our practical experience of young
people in our seven areas of work. [34]The
evidence focuses on issues surrounding bus services, although
it also includes problems with, and ideas for, alternative forms
of transport.
CRIME AND
SAFETY
The Problems
1. Safety—young people often feel
their safety is compromised by travelling home, especially late
at night. No buses, buses that are full when they get to your
stop and no other affordable transport available when coming out
of the pub/club are problems. Those who still live at home say
their parents' concerns over safety impacts on their social life
too—safer and more reliable transport would help quell those
fears. Many young men point out that they, as well as women, feel
at risk of attack if walking home at night.
Case Study: Norwich YMCA
Background: Reacting to a number of deaths of
young people after clubbing and socialising late at night in the
town the YMCA, police, city council, licensees and local paper
teamed up to try and find a solution to the problem. An "SOS
bus" scheme was launched in April 2001.
The project: The 17.4m long bus is stationed
in the centre of town. Anyone who feels threatened by drunkenness,
drugs, illness or injury or emotional distress can go to the bus
any time from 9pm—3am on a Friday and Saturday night. Transport
can be arranged, directions given, or supported offered until
a person feels safe to go home.
Public transport: The mobility of the bus means
it can be stationed when need is greatest. It links via a radio
system to local taxi companies who can come and take people home—meaning
young people have somewhere safe to wait. The bus staff also spend
a lot of time giving out directions—when ensuring people
get home safely never underestimate the importance of directions
to and information on transport.
Editor of the Eastern Evening News said:
"In an ideal world there would be no need. Young revellers
would remain totally responsible, none would be served too much
drink; there would be no aggravation, transport would be waiting
to take them home at the end of the evening. In your dreams."
Success? The YMCA bus went to Labour Party Conference
2001 and was visited by Secretary of State for the Home Office
David Blunkett MP who expressed his support. Charles Clark, a
Norwich MP, has backed the scheme.
What transport changes we'd like to see:
Safety—regular, reliable night transport.
In London, the tube should continue running later than at present
to avoid transport chaos. Regular buses will avoid overcrowding
of the bus that means some people wait long periods of time in
the dark. In rural areas cheaper cabs would help. Funding of night-club
mini-buses/coaches by some venues and by students' unions have
proved to be a popular, cheap and safe way to transport people
home over long distances and such schemes should be funded and
encouraged, or even become part of a licensing agreement in rural
areas. Bus and train operators should all operate a cab meeting
scheme so those that may live off a bus route can have a cab waiting
for them at the stop. Buses with more flexible routes at night
could drop off young people closer to home.
HOUSING AND
HOMELESSNESS
The problem
1. Providing stable accommodation for young
people near the services they need. In rural areas this is particularly
difficult, many young people need to find accommodation near support
networks such as family or friends. However, these are often far
away from job centres, housing support workers and other essential
services they may need.
2. Differential housing benefit for under
25s (single room rent) often means young people cannot afford
accommodation near services or places of work. They are forced
to take rooms out of town in more secluded areas. The cost of
transport then has an impact on their ability to find work, stay
in a low paid job or even sign on.
Case Study: Mendip YMCA
Background: Mendip YMCA in Wells works with
other organisations, such as the local authority, the NHS and
the CAB to provide emergency accommodation to young homeless people
in rural areas.
The project: Emergency accommodation is provided
by a Social Services approved family, closer to home than would
otherwise be possible. A support worker visits each day (often
travelling long distances) to provide help and essential lifts
such as to housing benefit offices, social services, the doctor
or a job interview.
Public transport: The area is served by a rural
bus service but the level of service decreases in more remote
areas. Most support services are based in Glastonbury or Frome—both
of which take over an hour to reach by bus.
The problems: The cost of public transport can
be prohibitive to young homeless people. In order to obtain a
crisis loan it is necessary to travel to Yeovil. Without the loan
it is impossible to get there. The college bus service has been
restricted, making it difficult to attend courses. Young people
attending job interviews find long journeys involved to be additional
obstacles both financially and psychologically.
Some solutions: The lifts provided by the support
workers for such travel is essential for the emergency accommodation
scheme to operate.
There is also a moped loan scheme developed
by Somerset Youth Project whereby young people are able to rent
a moped for six months for around £6 per week in order to
gain employment and thus provide themselves with independent travel
means. This currently operates in a limited number of areas.
Case Study: Romford Foyer
Many young people at Romford YMCA find it difficult
to finance transportation to job interviews or to purchase the
travel card needed to the first weeks of a new job. There is no
provision for such expenses from New Deal so loans are made from
a general homeless fund (from the YMCA's own youth development
fund) for genuine employment-related expenses. Once they receive
a salary the young people should repay their travel loan to the
YMCA.
What transport changes we'd like to see:
— Cheaper transport for those on benefits
to help those living in rural areas. Further suggestions are made
below in sections on Money & Work and Education and Skills.
— Expansion of moped loan schemes,
such as the one developed by Somerset Youth Project. "A resident
worked at an old people's home out in the country, there was no
way to get into town on public transport. They found it hard."
Janice, Burgess Hill YMCA.
— Expansion of public transport links
in rural areas.
MONEY & WORK
The problems
1. Few choices—the costs of transport
mean young people often have to make choices between some basic
living essentials, ie transport to the job centre versus electricity
or food. The problem is amplified when different service providers
are a long way apart or when a young person is subsidising their
accommodation from their income support.
"[There should be . . .] one fare even if
you need to take two buses to reach your destination." R
Williams, High Wycombe YMCA.
2. Youth & housing workers who have
to use more than one route or form of transport find that it takes
them a long time to get to work and limits late night working
with young people.
3. Added value by agencies such as YMCA
to existing schemes. New Deal and other such government funded
schemes do not take appropriate account of the costs of transport
once a young person is placed on an option or has a job. YMCAs
often have to find other ways of funding young people's transport
needs from their core funding.
"In Birchwood all the job services are
located in Warrington—it costs £1.50 each way which
is expensive when on benefits." Keith, Birchwood YMCA.
Case Study: YMCA Training: Job Search on the Road
The problem: Young people in Northumberland,
like many others, find that transportation is a major obstacle
to finding employment in rural areas.
A practical solution: YMCA Training in Durham
launched a project called "Job Search on the Road".
The vehicle is fully stocked with newspapers, business directories
and stationery as well as two computers with access to the Internet
for online job search. A tutor is on hand to help with CV writing/job
applications and to give general advice. It also has full disability
access with enough room for a wheelchair to be staged at one of
the on-board desks.
The result: This project has been able to reach
people never reached before, stopping in villages and rural towns
it eliminates many of the logistical, economic and psychological
barriers to young people reaching job centres which are often
located only in larger towns.
Funding of projects like this would avoid many
of the usual obstacles such as the economically non-viable and
non-direct bus service to remote villages.
What transport changes we'd like to see
— One-fare: changing buses, train or
onto any other transport means a new ticket and an additional
fare. Young people have highlighted that if you are lucky to live
on a straight through bus route you pay just one fare. If you
need to change you end up paying double. A transfer between buses,
operators and even modes of transport would make the difference.
— "Public transport should be
cheaper than driving. Four people from High Wycombe to Reading
is £20 return. Four people in a car costs about £5."
Fiona, High Wycombe YMCA.
EDUCATION & SKILLS
The problems:
1. "Due to lack of bus services residents
have been unable to attend some classes for key skills"—youth
worker, High Wycombe.
2. Young people who take the bus to school
and college highlight the length of time it takes and how tired
it makes them. They highlight the effect this has on their academic
work as well as their social life.
Case Study: Colchester YMCA
Colchester YMCA run a Learning Gateway Course
which is provided by Prospects (Government Funded Training). The
course provides life skills and training for young people that
have missed out on schooling or are lacking in life skills. It
also provides help with CVs, job applications and interviews.
Local charity minibuses are used for transport to get them to
team building exercises and any travel associated with the course
is paid for by Prospects who also pay any travel costs over £4
per week for travel to interviews.
As part of the course 20 hours of driving lessons
are provided. The driving school comes to the YMCA to teach theory
once a week and the YMCA training officers provides revision sessions,
access to CD ROM, books and mock tests. However, most young people
on the course continue to seek employment locally in Colchester
because of the cost of travelling. Some local companies and temping
agencies provide minibus transport to and from work.
What transport changes we'd like to see:
— Consideration should be given to
making it cheaper for those studying to travel to college, especially
those in full time FE who are unable to get any grants, loans
or benefits but also face high transport costs of as much as £15
per week. Travel passes, either for discount or free travel could
be considered for those studying for a limited geographical area
in order to facilitate study-related travel.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES
The Problem
1. Children and young people complain that
during school holidays no extra services are put on to towns and
leisure attractions.
2. Holiday transport for trips has become
limited in recent years due to the high costs of replacing transport
such as minibuses to the new standards. Local authorities are
also getting rid of their pool transport. There are also costs
associated with putting volunteer drivers through the test or
hiring drivers.
3. Getting to rural childcare and school
facilities is often difficult for parents without transport, isolating
the parent and the child.
Case Study: Bath YMCA
Background: Bath YMCA's after-school club summer
projects were under threat as the minibus that local groups used
to hire was sold due to high costs. The choices open to them were
to either cancel the trips or to charge children full price for
the trips as they would have to hire a commercial minibus—the
latter proved to be too expensive for most children. Finally a
donor stepped in to fund the costs.
What transport changes we'd like to see:
— Capital grants to be available for
purchasing transport equipment by charities or local authorities.
— As well as walking to school campaigns
government could look at shared transport to school/nursery schemes
in rural areas.
HEALTH & FITNESS
The Problems:
1. Poor transport can lead to missing hospital
or benefit appointments. Missing either of those can give you
a black mark and a long time to wait for another appointment—affecting
finances and health.
2. Hospital discharge—when emergency
rooms or normal hospital wards discharge a patient it is up to
the patient to find their own way home. Young people who may have
been admitted to accident and emergency departments and discharged
in the evening may have no form of transport home and may not
be able to afford a cab.
3. Access to leisure and sports facilities—many
sports facilities, specialist coaching and training are expensive
to get to and would require late night journeys home which many
transport providers do not offer. Many towns do not have a great
deal of easy-to-walk-to leisure facilities. New out of town cinemas
such as the one in Taunton do not even have a footpath.
Case Study: Nottingham YMCA
Nottingham Sport in the Community Project is
run by Nottingham YMCA with funding from the City Council.
The Broxtowe Estate in Nottingham is a deprived
area with high numbers of single parent families and low levels
of private car ownership. The already low levels of service provided
by local buses through the estate have recently been cut back
further leaving many young people feeling unable to travel at
all.
The Project: The project takes sport and fitness
training out into the community to the people who need it. Many
schools lack proper facilities but the Sport in the Community
Project operates after-school sports clubs around the city. During
school holidays the project uses venues such as school playing
fields and leisure centres but also local recreation grounds and
public parks so that activities always take place in areas that
are accessible to young people by foot.
What transport changes we'd like to see
— Time of transport to allow evening
leisure activities: Travel contracts should ensure that services
run until leisure facilities normally finish.
— Funding could be given to hospitals
to provide an emergency travel costs scheme to allow people leaving
emergency units to get home safely.
— Capital grants to be available for
charities to purchase transport equipment.
CITIZENSHIP &
PARTICIPATION
The Problems:
1. Young people are charged adult fares
from the age of 14.
2. Lack of transport impacts heavily on
social and community activities—barring a young person becoming
an active citizen. Buses often do not run frequently and late
enough to enable young people to participate easily in social
and community activities or local decision-making forums, such
as youth councils.
3. There is no knowledge among young people
as to how they can improve or change services or even who decides
when and where services go.
4. Young people are unaware of indicators
on transport but suggested that politicians should try and get
around their constituency by public transport so they can see
the problem. "I don't believe such policies consider young
excluded people." Roy, Romford YMCA.
What transport changes we'd like to see:
— Young people should not be charged
adult fares until the age of 16 when all other systems class them
as adults. Concessionary fares should then be available for unemployed,
students and those on schemes like New Deal.
— Each council and transport service
should look at a variety of ways to engage young people and children
in their decisions about transport, ensuring they seek out hard-to-reach
groups such as the homeless and unemployed. Young people have
a great deal of knowledge on public transport and will always
have views on when, where and how transport should work.
May 2002
34 The YMCA is a Christian Charity committed to helping
young people, particularly at times of need, regardless of gender,
race, ability or faith. There are 151 local YMCAs working in more
than 240 communities across England. Back
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