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From the end of Jan 2022 under 22s will be able to travel for free. Although I'm far too old, I'd like to think that my daughter will use the service more. Whilst clearly targeted at more local journeys, it got me thinking about how much of the country this will open up to young people. One of the stated aims is to embed the habit of sustainable transport in the next generation. Most buses don't seem to be set up for transporting bikes which is a real shame. And I expect connectivity is fragmented at best.
For example it would take 5 buses and over 6 hours (assuming they are all running on time and connections are met) to get to Braemar from where we live, which is a 2 hour drive.
Can anybody recommend routes for my fantasy tour and an indication of the mind boggling length of time it will take to get anywhere?
If my daughter maintains any interest in accessing the outdoors, I expect she will be clamouring for her own car long before her free bus travel entitlement runs out.
the best public transport journey I took was from Edinburgh to Drimnin on the Morven peninsular
Bus leith / City centre, train to glasgow, train to oban, ferry to mull, bus to tobermory, ferry to Drimnin. took 28 hours! ( overnight stop in tobermory.)
If we get the funding for it from DfT, we’ve put forward this policy for under 18’s here in South Yorkshire. It’s already pretty cheap (80p per journey) but it’ll definitely help set some established behaviours if it happens.
It’ll still need some wider measures to make driving less attractive though such as longer hours of bus lane operation, congestion charging and/or a work place parking levy (though suspect that’s less likely to have an impact now).
There's a direct bus from Glasgow to Uig on Skye.
So there is, I remember seeing that now. Amazing how blinkered you can be as a hardened car user.
And its amusing when you are a hardened public transport user how it opens things up for you using it. the best bit is not having to return to the same place to get your car
Bike transport? I pondered this question myself and came to the conclusion that a Rinko bike was the way ahead, I'm planning on building one at some stage. If you nail that then the world's your mollusk.
I just decided I want to go to Bridge of Orchy. Jump in my car and I'm there in 90m Trainline tells me the train takes an extra 6 hours. Bus is much better. Only double the time of the car.
Not returning to the same point is an advantage. I have parked at Bridge of Orchy then got the train to Rannoch or Corrour to return by foot or bike to Bridge of Orchy. THe best of both worlds perhaps.
I'm sat here with three under 21's working out some fun places to go for free...
When I was young I used to train from Ayr to Balloch, bus to Balmaha, walk to Rowardennan, camp overnight, climb Ben Lomond, ferry across Loch Lomond, bus back to Glasgow, train back to Ayr, Walk home to Auchincruive....
Friend's dad still does such days out - using the dial-a-bus to link routes in the Trossachs.