Children aged 5-15 in South Yorkshire will be able to travel free on buses and trams throughout August, as part of a scheme aimed at helping families afford activities during the school holidays. The initiative combines government funding with additional support from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, and comes amid a wider push to boost public transport use and ease cost-of-living pressures on families.

The bus element of the scheme is funded through the government's Great British Summer Savings programme, while the Mayoral Combined Authority is covering the cost of free Supertram journeys. Mayor Oliver Coppard said the aim was to save families money while expanding opportunities for young people. Campaign group Better Buses for South Yorkshire welcomed the move but noted its limits, pointing out that younger children will still need to travel with adults, whose fares remain unchanged, meaning the poorest families may see little benefit. Separately, under-18s in Barnsley already receive free bus travel via a MiCard until August 2027, and adults can access a £10 Supertram fare over the summer.