Eligible disabled people living across England will soon be able to receive free 24/7 bus travel after the Prime Minister has announced that the Government will officially lift time restrictions on concessionary passes.
Starting on 1 April 2027; those in possession of a disabled bus pass can travel on buses for free regardless of the time of day in an effort to open up access to workplaces, education, training, and other opportunities.
Currently, disabled bus passes are only valid for travel between 9.30 and 23.00 during weekdays, unless local authorities choose to fund an extension – such as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which chose to lift the time restrictions in March of this year.
Now, backed by 60 million GBP of funding, the Government will remove these time restrictions for all those across the country, allowing disabled bus pass holders to utilise free bus travel around the clock, regardless of their postcode.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:Buses are a lifeline for so many people - making it easier to get to work, education and healthcare. It’s simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day. So we’re fixing that. Disabled people will now have unlimited free bus travel 24/7.
I did it before in Greater Manchester and I’m proud to do it now for the whole country. This is part of our ongoing action to bring back hope and give people some much needed breathing space on the cost of living.
Alongside our £3.5 billion investment in tailored employment support, this change shows we’re serious about breaking down the barriers that have held disabled people back for too long.
Additionally, the Prime Minister recently announced a return of the 2 GBP bus fare cap, which is due to be re-introduced in 2027.
