BARNSLEY is once again ‘leading the way’ on a national scale according to local leaders who met to launch the next steps of the free bus travel for under-18s in the town this week.

Young people will be able to access free bus travel from Monday to Sunday, between 7am and 9pm, as long as the journey starts or ends in the Barnsley area and is within South Yorkshire.

The pilot in Barnsley will begin from August 1 and will run for two years thanks to the council’s £5m investment, alongside an additional £1m in funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

The scheme will see the return of the MiCard, a popular scheme which ran in the town between 2009 and 2017.

Current holders of Zoom travel passes will start receiving their brand-new Barnsley MiCard through the post very soon.

Everyone else will be able to apply via post or online on the Travel South Yorkshire website from Monday July 7.

The new-look cards were unveiled in the town centre on Monday - and council leader Sir Steve Houghton told the Chronicle he is very ‘proud’ that the scheme is returning to Barnsley.

He said: “We used to have free bus travel for under-18s under the previous Labour government but we had to stop that.

“We’re bringing it back now.

“We’re giving our kids free access to transport all year round which is absolutely fantastic.

“It really worked last time round and it was a massive benefit.

“We know already how well it’s going to work.”

The Youth Zone, adjacent to the railway station, is set to be complete next year - and Sir Steve says this scheme will work alongside that well.

He also said the money families will save will be incredibly beneficial in both the short and long-term.

He said: “People often say the ‘the Youth Zone is great, but how are they going to get there?’

“Well now they can.

“For a lot of families if you have two kids going to school that’s between £800 and £1,000 off your budget each year.

“It helps a lot.

“It’s green because hopefully it will get people onto the buses.”

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard was also at the event - and he says it’s yet another scheme that Barnsley is leading on nationally.

He added: “Being able to get to education, jobs and training, as well as get out and about to see friends and family, is something we should all be able to take for granted.

“That’s why I’m pleased to work with Barnsley Council to launch the Barnsley MiCard - a bold step toward making transport more accessible for young people.

“I’ve invested £1m to make real my ambition to roll out a free travel scheme in Barnsley, that will act as a pilot for young people across the whole of South Yorkshire.

“I want our young people to have the best start in life.

“Through this innovative new pilot for under-18s, we’ll be able to support young people to stay near and go far.”