The Government is keen to promote the benefits of public transport - it's better for the environment and lessens congestion. However, the constantly rising costs of travelling on trains and buses mean that many people cannot afford to leave their cars at home.
For young people, who frequently do not have a choice, the expense involved can be prohibitive.
Research has shown that nearly half of 16- to 18-year-olds say that they find transport costs hard to meet, and that six per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds have actually turned down training or further education in the past year due to transport problems.
Recent NYA dialogue sessions with young people found a repeated desire for affordable and appropriate transport to enable them to get to youth clubs, leisure venues and support services.
Particularly prominent was the need to address rural disadvantage, the cost of travel, staff attitudes and passenger safety.
The NYA would like to see a uniform pricing structure for young people across the UK, similar to that implemented by the Scottish Executive.
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