A SCHEME offering free bus travel to people during the month of their birthday has already had 35,000 applications since it was re-launched.
Metro Mayor Dan Norris says Birthday Bus passes were used by people with December birthdays to make more than 20,000 free journeys in the first week alone.
But the West of England Mayor, who is also the MP for North East Somerset & Hanham, has been criticised for spending £120 of taxpayers’ money on a “gimmick” cake to promote the return of the scheme.
Birthday Buses, first run for a year from the summer of 2023, was re-launched from December 1 for another 12 months.
People need to apply at least seven days before the end of the month before their birthday to ensure they receive a card by the first day of the month.
Mr Norris said: “In the first week of this year’s offer, we have already seen over 20,000 free journeys.
“People across the West of England are voting with their feet, signing up for their free month of bus travel.
“Birthday Buses look set to be bigger and better than ever, thanks to local businesses who are offering new freebies and discounts.”
The 20,000 journeys taken in the first week of December were more than double the number in the scheme’s opening week last time around.
The 35,000-plus people who have signed up so far include more than 10,000 new users, and represents almost half the number that took part in the whole of the scheme’s first year.
About one in eight users are aged under 21.
Details of shops, restaurants and attractions offering discounts to card holders can be found at BirthdayBus.co.uk.
Mr Norris was criticised by Steve Smith, the Conservative Party candidate at next year’s West of England mayoral elections, and South Gloucestershire Tory group leader Sam Bromiley for the £120 spent on a cake that was used to promote the scheme at a pre-launch event in October, then fed to journalists and the mayor’s dog.
Mr Smith, who says he will axe the Birthday Buses scheme if elected, said: “It’s absolutely breathtaking that Dan Norris spent £120 of public money on a birthday cake to advertise his wasteful bus pass gimmick. The mayor has wasted far bigger sums before, like £10,000 to put his face on the side of a bus.
“But this is a perfect example of his willingness to waste public money on gimmicks and marketing ploys. If I’m elected as mayor for the West of England, I will stop the gimmicks.”
Includes reporting by Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service