The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has announced that disabled people across England will soon get free bus travel all day, every day.
From Thursday 1 April 2027, people who hold a disabled bus pass can travel on buses for free, no matter the time of day. This will help to give disabled people access to workplaces, education and training while helping the cost of living.
Currently, disabled bus passes are only valid for travel between 9.30am and 11pm during weekdays, unless local authorities choose to fund an extension. For example, Greater Manchester Combined Authority permanently lifted the time restrictions from March this year under Burnham.
Backed by £60 million of funding, the Government is now stepping in to remove these time restrictions across the whole of England, so that disabled bus pass holders can always travel for free on buses regardless of their postcode.
In his announcement on social media, Andy Burnham said that “it’s simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that “these passes are a lifeline for so many, helping them stay connected and get to work and appointments, and it’s only right they receive the same treatment, no matter their postcode.”
This new support comes alongside the government’s ongoing work to reform the welfare system, including a £3.5 billion investment in employment support to help disabled people and those with health conditions to fulfil their full potential and stay in or return to work.
Gerard Butler, Chair of CILT (UK)’s Accessibility and Inclusion Forum, comments:
“We were delighted to hear of this initiative which will bring real and positive change to the lives of thousands of disabled people. It is an especially timely intervention not only in terms of the cost of living but in making access to employment, education and leisure easier. Any measures to assist with these not only improve individual’s lives but stimulate wider economic activity, as highlighted in the recent Institute of Mechanical Engineers ‘Mobility as a Multiplier’ report.”