A SCHEME offering young people in Wales discounts on bus tickets to help them get to school, college, work or training is to come to an end in March.

The Welsh Government’s MyTravelPass scheme, which was launched in September 2015, offers 16, 17 and 18-year-olds a third off bus fares anywhere in Wales.

But now it has been confirmed funding for the scheme will cease at the end of March, meaning the more than 8,000 young people who applied for a pass will face an increase in their travel costs.

A Welsh Government spokesman said the scheme had been intended as a pilot and it had always been made clear it would only be funded until the end of March 2017.

“The Welsh Government has undertaken an initial analysis of the MyTravelPass scheme,” he said.

“This seems to suggest that passholders are not using their passes to travel outside their immediate areas.

“A more detailed analysis will be undertaken once the pilot has ended, and all data is to hand.

“We are keen to see discounted bus travel for young people continue and have asked local authorities, bus operators and Traveline Cymru to suggest affordable ways of achieving this.

“We look forward to receiving their proposals and discussing the opportunities with them.”

Announcing the project, which has cost the taxpayer £14.75 million, in 2015, first minister Carwyn Jones said: “It is vital that our young people are able to access jobs and training opportunities in Wales more easily.”

Although many local authorities in Wales run similar schemes of their own, Newport City Council is not among them.

But Newport Bus runs a scheme named BAMBOO, allowing youngsters aged between five and 18 to apply for a card offering them discounted travel and flat rates within the city and further afield.

No changes will be made to the Welsh Government scheme offering older and disabled people free bus travel.