Government is aiming to roll out free public transport next year, but has still not said how it is to be funded.

The Progressive Labour Party's pre-election pledge of free travel has so far been extended to students, and it is understood Government is weighing up the results before planning the next phase.

At a UK College Tour meeting with Bermudian students on Saturday however, Premier and Transport Minister Ewart Brown said Government was "hoping" to extend free transport to all in January.

Dr. Brown's press secretary Glenn Jones said last night: "Free in 2009 is probably accurate. A timetable for the next phase of free public transport will be determined after officials have fully weighed the impact and benefits of the student phase recently implemented."

Government is understood to be researching bus and ferry capacity, and the need for any new vehicles.

Finance Minister Paula Cox pledged that public transport would become free for all during the unveiling of the PLP's general election manifesto in December 2007.

"In our next term, the PLP Government will provide free bus and ferry transportation," said Ms Cox.

However, the Deputy Premier did not explain how the initiative would be funded. Government makes about $10 million a year from bus and ferry fares.

In February during her Budget statement, Ms Cox said "free bus and ferry fares" would be introduced on a phased basis. At a press conference, Dr. Brown then said: "We are committed to preparing the public transportation service for the future demands that a free service will create."

He pointed to planned infrastructure development, such as more parking at Rockaway and the expansion of the Hamilton ferry terminal.

The first phase of free transportation was then approved by Parliament in July, with free bus and ferry rides for students under the age of 18. Public, private and home school students were issued with Student Transportation Passes on September 8, saving them up to $135 a year.

Last night, The Royal Gazette had not received a response from Government as to how free transportation for all will be funded and a timeline for the phases of introduction.

The Premier last week however, said that despite the global economic downturn, Government was still committed to free public transport for school students.

Shawn Crockwell, Shadow Transport Minister, said last night: "The UBP made the pre-election pledge to introduce free transport to school students and the PLP then upped the ante with their platform, saying they would offer it to everyone.

"Our proposal was to curtail it just to students because we didn't think it was fiscally responsible to offer it to everyone. Clearly there will be a few people who can afford public transportation.

"Public transportation engenders around $10 million a year, and that is still not enough to cover the costs of public transport. So providing free transport does not seem to dovetail well with the comments of the Premier, that Government will be trimming costs and tightening their belts in the current economic climate."

Mr. Crockwell said: "I have pushed Government to keep their pledge to offer free public transport to everyone, but that was before the downturn in the US economy. So if they now decided to limit it to schoolchildren only, we would support that, as that was what we recommended in the first place."