Hundreds back High Peak parent's bus pass campaign to help youngsters

The campaign calling for cheaper bus passes for 16 to 18-year-olds, has struck a chord with locals who have highlighted frustrations that young people over the border in Manchester are able to access cheaper fares to travel to college, whilst those who travel from inside the Derbyshire border cannot access the same support.

Campaign organisers have planned a public meeting at Glossop Labour Club on Saturday, September 30, at 9.30am. Labour’s parliamentary candidate for High Peak Jon Pearce, Claire Ward, the party’s candidate for East Midlands Mayor, and Councillor Damien Greenhalgh (Glossop and Charlesworth) have been invited to help accelerate the campaign.

Parent and campaign organiser Vickie Sharpe said: “Parents in Glossop have been reaching out for help for years, hoping someone will listen to us. Jon and Claire have supported us since I first raised it online and we’re really pleased that they are both taking the time to meet with us all this Saturday.”

Labour’s Jon Pearce said: “This is yet another example of Glossop and High Peak not getting our fair share. I think it is brilliant what Vickie, with the support of her family and other families locally, has done in raising this issue. Our young people deserve the same opportunities to pursue their ambitions and we will do everything we can to help them.”

Labour’s candidate for East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward said: “If I’m elected East Midlands Mayor next May, I would work to solve the issue once and for all.”