Blackpool Wave Card

This project is piloting a concession card for 11-16 year olds for travel at weekends and throughout the school holidays.

Area Covered:

Blackpool and Fylde

Date:

The pilot has been running since summer 2008.

Problem the scheme is designed to resolve:

Cost.

Blackpool Young People’s Council had concerns about both the costs of bus services in the area, and their infrequency in certain areas. They staged a conference on transport in Blackpool in 2007, inviting over 120 young people, the head of Metro Coastlines (which runs the bus service) and their local MP.

Following this event, the chair of the young people’s council (YPC) met with the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) for Blackpool, who arranged a further meeting between the YPC, DCS and Metro Coastlines. At this meeting, the concept of the Wave card was suggested and agreed.

Outline of the scheme:

The concession card is a photo-card with the logo of the YPC, the Youth Opportunity Fund and the youth service website displayed. It entitles young people between 11 and 16 years old a day’s unlimited travel up to 10pm on all Metro Coastlines bus services for one pound, at weekends and throughout the school holidays. (Except for inset days)

Holders of the card are also entitled to child concessionary rate up until the 30th of August of the academic year in which their 16th birthday falls, rather than to the date of their 16th birthday. The Wave Card, therefore, provides up to an additional 12 months travel at child rate for young people.

The card is administered by schools supported by the Management Information Team, and has been piloted with two High Schools in Blackpool.

Partnership

The project is led by Metro Coastlines, the Young People’s Council, and Children’s Services.

Funding

Metro Coastlines agreed to pilot the scheme on the basis that the YPC funded the initial costs of producing the cards. The YPC successfully bid to the Youth Opportunity Fund for £10,000 to print off the first run of photo-cards for young people to test the scheme. Integrated Youth Services have agreed to meet this cost in the future should the pilot be successful.

Metro agreed to the concessionary fares for young people –the full costs of this is not known.

Impact

Feedback from young people using the card has been positive, and it appears to have been a success. Other schools have now applied to join the scheme and the Portfolio Holder from Blackpool’s Children’s Services has written to all schools in the area encouraging them to take part.

The card has also improved relations between young people and bus drivers as it provides clear proof of age.

For more information about the scheme, please contact Stuart Dunne, Positive Contribution Manager, Blackpool 01253 754 840.

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