In the States, many communities where gyms are located don't have public transit, and even where there is public transit the parent could get in serious trouble for allowing an 11-year-old to take public transit alone.
I'm happy that our public transit is good and safe. I would not put an 11 year in a bus after late evening practice that ends at 9 pm, but at 5 pm that would be totally fine. Many kids take public transit to school and back home from age 7. We don't have school buses in the urban area.