On Thursday 21 May 2026, Swindon24 reported that families in Swindon would be able to use a national free bus travel scheme for children during the summer holidays.
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced the scheme as part of a summer cost-of-living package called "Great British Summer Savings". Children aged 5 to 15 could travel free on participating local bus services from 1 to 31 August 2026, with no registration needed.
What was announced?
- The Government put more than £100 million into the scheme.
- It said a family with two children making one return bus journey a week over the holidays could save around £27 over the month.
- The wider package included a temporary VAT cut on selected family attractions, children's cinema and theatre tickets, and kids' meals over the summer.
- Details of which bus operators would take part were to be confirmed later.
Heidi Alexander, the Swindon South MP and Transport Secretary, welcomed the move in a Facebook post and said she had worked with the Chancellor on the policy. She wrote that "this means parents can plan days out, visit family and make the most of the holidays".
The report noted that the scheme followed the completion of the Fleming Way bus boulevard in Swindon town centre, built to improve the reliability of bus journeys.
Source: Swindon24.