Transport is top issue youngsters want tackling in Sheffield

Transport in Sheffield has been highlighted as the most pressing issue to be tackled by the city's young people.
Transport came out as a priority for young peopleTransport came out as a priority for young people
Transport came out as a priority for young people

More than 12,000 youngsters from school's across the city voted for their top ten local issues to be tackled as part of the Make Your Mark ballot, the largest consultation of young people in the country.

The ballot decides what members of the UK Youth Parliament should debate in the House of Commons on Friday and vote on to be their campaign for 2018.

The result of the Make Your Mark ballot in SheffieldThe result of the Make Your Mark ballot in Sheffield
The result of the Make Your Mark ballot in Sheffield
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A total of 18 per cent of Sheffield youngsters, aged 11 to 18, said that service reliability, poor customer service, affordability and the impractical pass system were high priority issues for them in the city.

It is the second year that the city’s transport has been highlighted as an issue.

Luke Bassett, a Sheffield UK Youth Parliament member for West Sheffield, said: "For the past couple of years, young people in and around Sheffield have felt that public transport doesn’t work for them and more needs to be done to improve services and to make them want to use public transport.’

"As a Youth Cabinet, we have carried out a consultation with young people in the city to find out what it is specifically about public transport which concerns them.

The result of the Make Your Mark ballot in SheffieldThe result of the Make Your Mark ballot in Sheffield
The result of the Make Your Mark ballot in Sheffield
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"More recently, we have been working with other Youth Cabinet and UK Youth Parliament members from across South Yorkshire, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and travel operators from across the region on a South Yorkshire Youth Transport User Group.

"This gives us a chance to voice the concerns of young people and help improve transport for all."

Also high on the priority list were hubs where youngsters can find work experience, mental health, a curriculum that covers topics such as finance, sex and relationships and politics and protecting LGBT+ people.

As well as campaigning on these locally elected issues, Sheffield’s elected Youth Parliament members will go to the House of Commons on November 10 to debate the top five issues nationally with Youth Parliament members from other local authority areas as part of the Make Your Mark campaign.

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They will then agree the top two national issues on the day to be taken forward as a national campaign.

Gail Gibbons, chief executive of youth charity Sheffield Futures, said: "It’s so important that we listen to our young people and take action to enable positive change in our communities for the next generation."