First Bus bars unaccompanied children after 6 pm in Stoke amid rising disorder
First Bus announced that passengers 15 and under travelling alone will be prohibited after 6 p.m. in Stoke-on-Trent following a series of antisocial incidents.
After the rollout of a free-travel scheme for children aged 5 to 15, First Bus imposed a restriction that bans unaccompanied passengers under 16 from boarding after 6 p.m. in Stoke-on-Trent. The company pointed to multiple episodes of disorder, notably an incident where over a hundred youths behaved aggressively at Hanley bus station, forcing police involvement. Simon Mathieson, First Bus’s regional director, said drivers and passengers felt unsafe, mentioning reports of children swinging on handrails while the bus was moving.
Stoke-on-Trent transport cabinet member Finlay Gordon-McCusker expressed disappointment, arguing that more safety officers or police could have mitigated the problem without denying travel to the majority of youngsters. The ban has been approved by the Department for Transport and supported by the council, though drivers may still exercise discretion for vulnerable children. The episode highlights tensions between free-travel policies and the management of antisocial conduct on public transport.
Why it matters
It shows how free-travel schemes can strain public transport safety and provoke restrictive measures affecting young commuters.
In this story
