A Liberal Democrat MP has joined calls for Andy Burnham to implement a free bus pass for homeless children.

In recent weeks, three Labour MPs from Greater Manchester – Rebecca Long-Bailey, Yasmin Qureshi, and Christian Wakeford – have called on the Labour mayor to give children in temporary accommodation a free bus pass so they can get to school.

Experts say parents placed in temporary accommodation have to choose between paying for buses to school which they never needed to before becoming homeless, or move their child's school away from an existing support network.

That's because council rules across Greater Manchester say children can only get free transport if they move more than two miles from home and there is no 'suitable school' nearer. But it's near-impossible to be further than three miles from a school in the city.

Now, Cheadle's Lib Dem MP Tom Morrison has joined Labour parliamentarians. Mr Morrison experienced homelessness as a child, and believes the move would make a real difference.

"As someone who faced homelessness as a child, I know first-hand how important stability and support are for young people," said the Cheadle MP. 

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"For children living in temporary accommodation, getting to school can be a daily struggle, and missing out on education can have a lasting impact on their future. 

"No child should have to worry about how they will get to class or feel excluded because of circumstances beyond their control."

Mr Morrison was elected as an MP last year, having served as a Stockport councillor for years previously.

As well as the three other MPs, three major not-for-profits, Resolve Poverty, Wood Street Mission, and Shared Health, have also stated their support for the bus pass this summer.

Previously, a mayoral spokesperson said: "We are doing a lot to make travel easier and more affordable for everyone in Greater Manchester, including children and young adults. That includes £1 single bus fares, free travel for 16-18-year-olds, an extension of free travel for care leavers and, from next month, half price bus travel for 18-21-year-olds.

"Transport for Greater Manchester is currently undertaking a broader review of concessions, considering all the requests for support that we get from a range of groups across the city-region, and the Mayor has asked them to ensure this is included."

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