“Outrage Grows: Free Bus Travel for Over-60s and Disabled Could Face Big Changes! You Won’t believe why

Two MPs are backing the calls of a petition saying the system in England must change to allow people to use the buses for free over 60 as already happens in Scotland

Two MPs have called on the UK Government to review the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), and allow free bus passes to all over 60s.

Liberal Democrat MP Will Forster has asked the Department for Transport to consider extending the ENCTS to peak travel times. In response, Transport Minister Simon Lightwood stated that while the scheme provides free off-peak bus travel for eligible individuals, local authorities can offer additional discretionary concessions.

Meanwhile, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, Siân Berry, has queried whether the Department plans to review the eligibility criteria for disabled people’s bus passes. .

Mr Lightwood replied: “The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and, while the Department keeps the scheme under review, any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the eligibility criteria, would need to be carefully considered for their impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.”

Last year, the Department for Transport made it clear that the Labour Government has “absolutely no plans to withdraw the concessionary bus pass scheme” for those over the age of State Pension or with a disability.

A new online petition is urging the Government to follow Scotland’s lead and provide free bus travel to all over-60s in England. Creator Karen Hickman claims the current system is “unjust” and calls for “equality for everyone over 60”, reports the Daily Record.

The petition argues that the current system, where free bus travel is only available to those who have reached state pension age, is outdated and needs to change.

The petition, which has been posted on the petitions-parliament website, states: “We call on the Government to extend free bus travel to all people over 60 years old in England outside London. We believe the current situation is unjust and we want equality for everyone over 60.”

If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, it will receive a written response from the Government, and if it reaches 100,000, it will be considered for debate in Parliament. “Currently, people in England who do not live in London are not entitled to free bus travel until they reach the state pension age, which we believe has changed dramatically. As people get older some over 60s drive less and less, therefore we believe we need equality on public transport. It would mean England had the same provision as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

Both men and women are eligible for concessionary travel in England when they reach state pension age, 60 in Scotland. Eligibility for concessionary travel may vary depending on local authorities and the specific terms of the concessionary travel scheme in place.

In December, the Labour Government was urged to consider the “potential merits of a reciprocal agreement between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland” to enable every State Pensioner to use their bus pass to travel for free to and within other UK nations for free.

Labour MP Elsie Blundell put the question to the Department for Transport, but the response will be a disappointment for the 12.9 million pensioners across the UK.

Transport Minister Simon Lightwood has pointed out that the concessionary travel scheme is a “devolved policy area”, meaning that the “administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England”. In his written statement, he also mentioned: “There are no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement”.