§ Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that the official school-leaving age is 15 years, whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that children can travel at half fare on public transport until they reach the age of 15 years.
§ Mr. MarplesNo. The official school leaving age is not the decisive factor in the granting of half fare on public transport to children. This is a matter for the appropriate fare-fixing body in each case, except where a local authority already has power to charge half fare for children up to 15 years of age under the Public Service Vehicles (Travel Concessions) Act, 1955. On road passenger vehicles outside London there are already concessionary fares for children up to at least 15 years when travelling to and from school. On British Railways and on the rail services of the London Transport Executive educational season tickets for travel to school, college, etc., are available at one-half the adult rate for scholars up to the age of eighteen: they may also travel to and from educational establishments on London Transport Executive buses at half-fare.