Kids Go FREE with D&G Bus this August:
Get ready for a summer of adventures! As part of the UK Government’s Great British Summer Savings Scheme, children aged 5–15 can travel with D&G Bus for FREE* across England throughout August.
FREE* travel is available on most local bus journeys in England between 1 and 31 August 2026 for children aged 5–15 inclusive.
UPDATE: 21st August 2026
D&G Bus responds to safety concerns with evening child travel change in Stoke.
- Move follows consultation with Stoke City Council and First Bus after repeated anti-social behaviour incidents
- From 6:00pm, under-15s travelling on services that operate to or from Hanley Bus Station will only be eligible for free travel under the Kids Go Free scheme if accompanied by an adult.
- Restriction to stay in place until further notice.
D&G Bus is sorry to confirm that, from tomorrow, Saturday 22nd August, children aged 15 and under will only be eligible for free travel under the Kids Go Free scheme when travelling on services that operate to or from Hanley Bus Station after 6:00pm if accompanied by an adult.
The change comes partway through August's national Kids Go Free scheme, and has been reached through consultation with Stoke City Council and First Bus, and approved by the Department for Transport. It follows a number of anti-social behaviour incidents at the bus station and on board a number of local services — a situation the company says it is genuinely disappointed to have reached, and one it did not take lightly.
There is no end date set for this evening restriction on free child travel; it will remain in place until the situation is reviewed further. Drivers will still be able to use their own judgement to allow unaccompanied children and young people to travel free of charge where there are safety or vulnerability concerns.
Commenting on the decision, David Brookes, Managing Director of D&G Bus, said: "This isn't a decision we wanted to make, but the safety of the public and our drivers has to come first, and it's a step we felt was necessary."
Don't forget, kids under 5 travel FREE all year round.
Whether you’re heading to the park, meeting friends, visiting family, going shopping or exploring somewhere new, the bus can take you there – helping families make the most of summer for less.
The savings don't stop when you get off the bus. Families can also enjoy offers at participating cinemas and theatres, soft play centres, adventure and theme parks, museums and heritage attractions, places to eat and more. Find your Summer savings here.
Here’s what you need to know about the free bus travel offer:
Who is eligible?
All children aged 5 to 15 inclusive can travel for free.
Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult. This is a safeguarding measure to prevent young children potentially travelling great distances unaccompanied and not being able to get home.
Do I have to prove my age?
Drivers may ask you to prove your age to qualify for free travel. This is to prevent people abusing the scheme and travelling for free when they’re not entitled to. If the driver believes you are 16 or over, you will be asked to pay a fare.
Children can prove their age by showing the bus driver one of the below forms of identification:
- School ID card or student pass.
- Local authority travel card or concessionary pass.
- Young person's bus pass issued by a transport authority.
- A digital school or travel pass on a phone, if locally available.
I normally buy a weekly or monthly pass, what should I do?
If you normally buy a weekly or monthly pass, we recommend you don’t purchase a travel pass for August whilst the free travel scheme is running. You can buy a pass during August and then activate from September 2026.