Young people in the New Forest area could soon be enjoying special discounts as a reward for using local bus services.

The idea was put forward by Lib Dem Councillor, David Harrison, at a meeting of the Leisure Culture and Youth Matters Review Panel, this week.

The Panel were meeting with a range of guests, looking at ways of improving access for young people to leisure, cultural and youth facilities. It was agreed that young people should be encouraged to make more of local bus and train services.

Councillor David Harrison suggested that the District Council should offer discounts to young people using District Council Leisure facilities, on production of evidence that they had arrived using public transport.

He said “We all know that bus services are under threat, particularly the more rural routes in the New Forest area. The District Council should offer discounts to young people using public transport. This would be good for the environment, good for the young people and contribute towards keeping our local public transport services going”.

The suggestion was supported by Colin Harris, Spokesman for Wilts & Dorset buses and for Solent Blue Line. He said “I would very much welcome the idea.” He told the panel that there were many non-commercially viable bus routes in the New Forest which rely on local authority subsidy to operate.

District Council Officers are to prepare a report for a future panel meeting offering ideas on how such a discount scheme might operate.