Unlimited free public transport now available to 1,000 Glasgow residents

Unlimited free travel is now being provided to 1,000 people in Glasgow, as a pilot project gets under way.

The city’s free public transport scheme launched on Monday, giving seven weeks of free journeys on buses, trains and the Subway to participants.

Those taking part in the pilot include people who regularly rely on private cars and residents who face barriers to travel, such as patients who struggle to afford the cost of getting to hospital appointments.

Councillors approved the use of £225,000 for the scheme, which aims to assess the impact of fare-free public transport on travel behaviour, late last year.

People taking part in the project received a Zonecard, allowing travel across the city and surrounding area at no cost.

The pilot will monitor whether free transport encourages a shift away from private car use and assess how reducing costs impacts access to employment, education and healthcare.

It has been hailed as a “gamechanger” by the city’s Green group, which pushed for the project to go ahead.

Cllr Christy Mearns, transport spokesperson for the Greens, said: “This pilot will demonstrate the transformative effect of making transport more accessible.

“With so many people unable to use public transport in ways that suit them, due to cost, and given many don’t have access to a car, it’s imperative that we challenge this head on.

“Transport is a large cause of our country’s emissions, so not only would free public transport help people’s pockets, but it will hopefully help the planet too.”

Half of the participants were recruited from a broadly representative cross-section of city residents, with a focus on individuals who regularly rely on private cars.

The other 500 were recruited through community and support services, who are more likely to face barriers to travel. Many were identified through Glasgow’s child poverty programme.

Services like Improving the Cancer Journey and Glasgow Helps, which support residents who may experience difficulty accessing essential services, were also involved, while NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde nominated patients and families for whom travel costs can contribute to missed appointments.

Participants will complete surveys and travel diaries at key points during the pilot period. A series of participant case studies will also be developed.

It is expected the pilot will help to build an evidence base about how free travel affects how people move around the city and take part in the economy.

ScotRail services, the Subway, bus services operated by First Bus, Stagecoach, McGill’s and West Coast Motors are all covered. ZoneCards provide access to zones one and two.

The pilot ends on March 29.