Take the kids for free on the Metro and Ferry this half-term holiday

As half-term approaches Nexus wants to remind families of their Take The Kids for Free price promises across the Metro and Shields Ferry.

After being launched in the summer of 2021, almost a million journeys have been made by families with a child under 12 who can travel for free with a fare-paying adult.

The initiative enables up to three children under the age of 12 to travel for free on Metro and Shield Ferry, as long as their accompanying adult has a valid ticket.

Now, Nexus, the public body who owns Metro, have released statistics in the hopes of more families discovering the benefits of travelling by Metro with children during the half-term holidays. Get the latest news, straight to your inbox, with a Shields Gazette newsletter.

Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “In order to reduce carbon emissions and congestion on our region’s roads, it is essential to make public transport as convenient and affordable as possible.

“It’s absolutely brilliant to see that we are close to the one million milestone of free Metro journeys for kids. This offer has undoubtedly helped local families who are facing the harsh reality of the cost-of-living crisis. 

Public transport is an excellent way for families who live in Tyne and Wear to explore, and all the better that it provides a fun adventure for kids who we know love getting on the Metro.”

Huw Lewis, Customer Services Director at Nexus, said: “Take the kids for free is a real success story, and is close to generating a million Metro journeys as families make the most of a great value price promise, all day and every day.

“Metro was the first operator in the region to bring in a kids go free promise and it has set a benchmark for other public transport operators to follow, both here in our region, and hopefully in other parts of the country too.

“It helps more people enjoy the convenience, great value and sustainability of public transport, as well as having great days out for families.”

For more information on the Take The Kids For Free offer, please visit the Nexus website.