CALLS for 16 and 17-year-olds to pay a child’s fare for using the bus services have been raised.

Last week we told you how MSPs sparked debate after teenagers should pay less.

Glasgow Labour MSP Pauline McNeil told the government that it is unfair that teenagers that stay on at school and have no form of personal income have to pay the full fare to get a bus to school.

The national minimum wage for under 18s is £4 per hour. A return ticket is £3.35 meaning that an hours wage is already gone to travel.

And at the other end of the age scale, people over the age of 60 who may still be in full time employment are entitled to free bus travel through the concessionary travel scheme.

We took to the city streets to find out what Glaswegians had to say.

Annushka Haye, 17, a childcare student from Paisley said: “I still pay an adult fare and I’m a full time student. It would benefit me to get some sort of discount.

“Even if you borrow from your parents as well by the time you spend money on tickets you have nothing left.”

Erin Campbell, 17, a high school pupil from Paisley said: “It would be better for me finance wise. The adult fare is just too expensive for me to get into town. A return can sometimes be over £5 which is not feasible.

“We should have something similar to the 60+ free bus travel because our Young Scot cards just don’t work on the buses.”

More and more high school pupils are working part-time and travel costs are continuously rising.

Kyle Beagan, a high school pupil from Paisley said: “We don’t have the means to pay for the buses.

“There is a problem in our age bracket that if you are going to work a large percentage of our wages goes to travel. We don’t get paid much and it’s a bit much to expect families to pay for it.”

Hayley Myatt, 19, a student at Glasgow Clyde College from Cambuslang said: “

“It’s not fair to them at all. It’s basically saying that they’re putting an age limit on people that are allowed to study and that’s completely pointless.”

“I don’t think it’s as bad as telling a student that they’re not allowed to get a discount but in a way if they’re making a living they should be able to pay their bus fare.”

Some feel there should be at least a discounted service for pupils in full time education.

Connor Kinnaird, 22, a student from Motherwell said: “I don’t think they should be getting it for free but they certainly should be getting some sort of discount.

“I’ve actually stopped taking the bus. I used to take the X11 into town but it’s cheaper to get the train now. I even got the 16-25 railcard to get it a bit cheaper.”

Sarah Carter, 22, a law student from the Merchant City said: “There used to be the Young Scot card so something like that should be in place. The price has gone up and for five stops you’re paying £1.40. It used to be 90p a few years ago.”

“It’s gotten to the point that pensioners are getting free rides and they’re the ones really going for the bus now. They’re the only ones receiving any sort of benefit.”