This is good news for job-seekers on the Isle of Wight. Gareth tells us more on behalf of Southern Vectis. Ed
Job hunters will be given free bus travel in January by the Go Ahead Group owned companies Wilts & Dorset, Bluestar and Southern Vectis as part of a scheme to help more than 800,000 jobseekers in England, Scotland and Wales.
Targeted at young people
Jobseekers who have been unemployed for between three months and one year will be eligible, although the scheme is particularly targeted at young people for whom unemployment rates remain high.
The scheme will cover holders of a JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card. Those who are eligible for the card, which is available through JobCentre Plus, include people claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance or Income Support and actively engaged with a Jobcentre Plus adviser in returning to employment.
Present your card for free travel
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director for the Go Ahead Group owned bus companies in the South, said that Wilts & Dorset, Bluestar and Southern Vectis were delighted to participate in the scheme devised by Greener Journeys – the campaign to promote sustainable travel.
He said, “Anyone using a valid JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card will be welcome to travel on our extensive network of services free of charge. They will need to present their JobCentre Plus Travel Discount Card to the driver, and carry it on them when making journeys on participating bus routes.”
Jobcentre Plus staff are actively promoting it to those looking for work and full details of the scheme are available on a specially created website: www.busforus.co.uk.
