East Sussex discount rail card for young people to be scrapped

The Sussex Student Card offers 34 per cent off train travel in the county and is run in partnership with Southern and authorities in West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

Last year the Government launched a new national rail scheme for 16-17-year-olds giving them a 50 per cent saving on a standard adult fare.

New applications for the Sussex Student Card fell by 94 per cent between July and December 2019 and analysis suggests that the vast majority of students are actually better off with the new national 16-17 Railcard.

After consultation East Sussex County Council has decided to stop the subsidy for the Sussex Student Card.

The decision was made by Bob Standley, lead member for education and inclusion at a meeting last month.

Stuart Gallimore, director of children’s services, said in the main students would be better off with the national card, especially on a two-year course.

Although there are some differences on a three-year course he described how there were other rail concessions available to young people.

Although it was not an ideal time to run a consultation during lockdown, the county council had received more responses to its post-16 transport policy statement this year than the previous three years combined.

Some respondents were unclear about the purpose of the Sussex Student Card as they mentioned university or being mature students.

According to officers: “This confusion perhaps reinforces the authority’s view that the abundance of schemes already available is unhelpful and that by removing the Sussex Student Card will make travel choices easier for young people.”

The main colleges also share a hardship fund for students struggling financially.

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