A SIX-FIGURE sum has been approved to fund extra buses in Barnsley to help meet expected demand from the new free bus travel scheme for youngsters which launched on August 1.

The funding, signed off by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s executive director of transport, will provide additional capacity during the initial roll-out of the MiCard scheme, which gives free travel to under-18s.

Totalling more than £345,000, it will allow extra buses to be deployed across Barnsley for an initial four-month period.

The MiCard - reintroducing a scheme previously used between 2009 and 2017 - allows Barnsley residents aged five to 18 to travel for free on buses across South Yorkshire between 7am and 9pm daily, as long as their journey starts or ends in the borough.

Provision of additional bus capacity, to be deployed ‘dynamically’ where required, will reduce the risk to users of being unable to travel, SYMCA bosses said.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “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.

“This will act as a pilot for young people across the whole of South Yorkshire.”