Green candidate Sandy Hore-Ruthven has this morning announced his second pledge in his bid to become Bristol’s next mayor.

He has said that if he is elected on May 7 he will ensure all under-21s get half price bus travel.

Mr Hore-Ruthven said it was part of his aim to “kickstart Bristol’s bus revolution”.

He said: “We want young people in Bristol to have the best start in life.

“But they face real problems travelling to the jobs, education and opportunities that they need. It costs money that they don’t have.

“Young people have been asking for cheaper bus travel for years but no one has done anything. The situation is hugely unfair, because it hits the young people from the worst-off families hardest, right at the start of their adult lives.

(Image: Michael Lloyd Photography)

“Affordable public transport should be a young people’s right, not a privilege, and so I am going to help.

For news tailored to your local area, powered by In Your Area::

“Half-price bus travel for under-21s will help young people towards a bright future. And it will also help curb carbon emissions and reduce congestion by encouraging young people onto public transport.

“This is action, not words, and everybody wins. This is only the beginning but this pledge will get Bristol moving, and make our city a fairer and greener place.”

Today's announcement was the second of three pledges to be announced by the Green mayoral candidate.

Show more

Last week Mr Hore-Ruthven promised to tackle climate change and homelessness by building 2,000 new council homes by 2030 and retrofitting the current 27,000 council homes to insulate them and make them more energy efficient.

The final pledge will be announced later this month, and the Green Party's full manifesto for the mayoral elections will be released in April.

It is not just the mayoral elections taking place in Bristol on May 7.

All 70 seats on Bristol City Council will also be up for grabs and residents across Avon and Somerset will have the chance to vote for a new Police and Crime Commissioner.

The other candidates standing in the Bristol mayoral election are Marvin Rees (Labour), Mary Page (Lib Dem), Samuel Williams (Conservative) and John Langley (Independent).