TfL Youth Panel
More than 30% of the capital's population is under 25 years old. There are an estimated 2.6 million young people living in Greater London and rising all the time. Giving young people a voice has never been more important.
That's why we work with young people and organisations representing them. We want to ensure that young Londoners have a direct voice within our policy and decision decision-making process.
About the TfL Youth Panel
Our Youth Panel consists of around 30 volunteers, aged 16 to 25, who travel in London.
They play an important role in helping create a transport network that works for them and other young people across our city.
What the panel does
Since 2009, members of the TfL Youth Panel have helped with:
- Shaping the Mayor's Transport Strategy
- The naming of the London Overground lines
- The environmental sustainability of the TfL network, among many other initiatives
They also take part in some of our campaigns and represent young Londoners by submitting consultation responses on transport transformations we make.
Our Youth Panel holds regular in-person workshops with different TfL teams. This is to develop innovative solutions for a wide range of transport policies.
TfL Youth Panel members also take part in conferences and summits with other charity and public sector youth boards from across London. They have even shared their experiences with national youth councils from other countries.
Read a Q&A with our Youth Panel members about their experiences on the panel.
How to join
Our Youth Panel has opened for recruitment again this year, with applications open from February 26 until March 31 2024. We are open to anyone between the ages of 16-25 years old who regularly travels in London.
Please visit TfL Youth Panel Application for more information and to apply!
If you missed the application window, then get in touch with youthpanel@tfl.gov.uk and we will let you know when applications open in future
TfL Youth Panel executive committee
Our Youth Panel executive committee directs the work of the panel. They speak on behalf of their fellow panel members and suggest projects and campaigns for the panel to work on.
The committee's structure mirrors TfL priorities by having has a committee member responsible for each of the 3 areas of safety, sustainability, and inclusion.
Sustainability and Inclusion report
In October 2023, our Youth Panel launched their first ever independent policy report titled Tomorrow's TfL: The Youth Panel's Vision for the Future.
The report sets out recommendations for what TfL can do to make our transport network more fair, inclusive and sustainable. It covers 4 themes:
- Community outreach
- Inclusive decision making
- Embracing opportunity
- Equitable futures
The report concludes a 12-month exploration project into social and environmental sustainability led by the TfL Youth Panel. This was in collaboration with a variety of expert witnesses from these fields.
A positive response from TfL
In February 2024, we published our response to the Youth Panel's Tomorrow's TfL report.
One of the steps we've taken is for a member of the Youth Panel to attend our senior-level Safety, Sustainability and Human Resources Panel (SSHRP) and Customer Service and Operational Performance Panel (CSOPP) meetings.
In advance of the meetings, the two Youth Panel members will review papers with all 30 other members of the TfL Youth Panel and prepare questions and suggestions to TfL leaders and panel members.
Read more about TfL's response.
Our work with youth sector organisations
Alongside our work with the TfL Youth Panel, we also work with other external organisations, including:
- The Greater London Authority's youth groups
- Youth charities
- Community centres
We work on a variety of issues affecting young people, such as the cost of living, safety, and security.
Contact us at youthpanel@tfl.gov.uk if you work in the youth sector and are interested in sharing your experiences with us.