Schoolchildren without smartphones are facing significantly higher bus fares due to the digitalisation of discounted travel passes, raising concerns about inequality and increased costs for families who choose to keep children phone-free.

Derbyshire county council introduced a discounted fare scheme known as the b_line card, which caps single fares on Trentbarton buses at £1.50 for passengers aged 18 and under. However, to access this fare, users must register their card through a smartphone app. Those unable or unwilling to use the app, including children without smartphones, are required to pay full fare, potentially adding hundreds of pounds to their annual travel expenses.

Adele Kightley, a parent from Derbyshire, highlighted the issue after her 11-year-old daughter started secondary school without a smartphone, instead carrying a "brick phone" with basic functions. Kightley explained that while her daughter has a student card, it does not qualify for the discounted fare unless linked to the app. Paying by cash or card directly to the bus driver does not provide the same discount. She estimates that the family could face an additional £546 annually in travel costs solely because their child does not use a smartphone. The situation will become more costly when their younger child begins secondary school, potentially adding nearly £1,100 per year.

Trentbarton confirmed that current ticketing machines are not equipped to read the council-issued student cards independently of the app and stated that it is "working at speed" to develop a physical card to extend the discounted fare to under-19s without the need for a smartphone.

Critics argue that the move to digital-only passes disproportionately affects lower-income families and undermines efforts to reduce children's screen time. Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of the campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood, noted that more than 200,000 parents have pledged to delay giving their children smartphones until at least age 14. She said, “Essential services are still being designed around the assumption that every child has one,” adding that for many families, owning a smartphone has effectively become necessary to access affordable bus fares.

Other regional bus operators such as Stagecoach and Compass also require smartphone use to obtain the best youth travel discounts, further exacerbating the issue.

The introduction of a law banning mobile phone use in English schools in June has highlighted the tensions around children's screen time. Some schools ban smartphones on their premises altogether, but the Department for Education clarified that the legislation does not cover phone use during the commute to school. It emphasized that decisions on app-only fare discounts remain with the individual bus companies.

Representatives from Stagecoach and Compass were contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.