A scheme to give people in the West of England and North Somerset free bus travel in the month of their birthday will run again for a second year.

72,000 people signed up for a pass when the scheme ran for the first time between August 2023 and July 2024. Now it is set to run again from December 1 — with people aged 21 and under able to get two months of free travel.

West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris said: “I’m concentrating, in the last months that I’ve got before I stop being mayor next May, on making this year’s birthday bus scheme even more effective than last years.

“And to that end we are learning from experience and we are allowing 21-year-olds and younger to have two months of free bus travel — so not just the birthday month but the following month too.”

People living in Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset, and Bath and North East Somerset are eligible for the birthday bus pass, which is accepted on “95%” of buses in the area.

The scheme was called a “childish gimmick” by one council leader last year. But at today’s launch — where Mr Norris cut a bus-shaped cake and fed some to his dog Angel — Mr Norris said the scheme had been a “fantastic success.”

He said that almost 1.2 million bus journeys had been made using the birthday bus passes when the first scheme ran. Some people used the pass 200 times in the month of their birthday, although the average number of journeys using the pass was 19.

He said: “All the research shows that people are using buses more as a result of this scheme. So they are not going back to their cars — they are realising how good buses can be and taking them up.”

Hannah Young, North Somerset Council’s executive member for highways and transport said: “We’re delighted to see Birthday Bus back for a second year. The scheme is a fantastic way to encourage residents to explore our bus network and discover the convenience of public transport.”