Free bus travel for over 60s in England update after government funding suggestion
Support has been surging for the move which would give people over 60 the same rights as those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
A campaign calling for people over the age of 60 to get the same travel help as those the same age in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has hit a milestone. A petition on the Parliament website has today gone through the 60,000 signup barrier meaning it’s a significant way towards securing a commons debate to put pressure on the Department for Transport.
The government has already been forced into a reply which admitted that in some areas funding was in place which could be used for such a service improvement. Currently in England people get a free bus pass at 66 - whereas in the other parts of the UK it comes in at 60 due to decisions from the devolved governments.
In England it’s down to cash-strapped local authorities to dig deep out of their budgets to pay - with only Merseyside and Transport for London funding it. If the petition gets to 100,000 signatures it should get a debate where the government would have to defend its position.
The petition on the Parliament website created by Karen Hickman reads: “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
“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.”
There has already been movement as in a recent update Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport) Simon Lightwood gave some hope to over 60s when he said that recently allocated funding to councils for transport could be used for this purpose. He was responding to Liberal Democrat Zöe Franklin who asked if Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander: “Plans to extend free bus passes for over 60s across England.”
Mr Lightwood replied: “The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.
“Local authorities in England have the power to offer concessions in addition to their statutory obligations, such as lowering the age of eligibility. Additional local concessions are provided and funded by local authorities from local resources.
“The government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities across the country. Surrey County Council has been allocated £12 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish. This could include extending the discretionary concessions available in the local area.”
In its response to the petition, the government attempted to explain why other parts of the UK had the free pass: ”Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area and as such, the eligibility age for the bus pass differs between the devolved nations of the United Kingdom. This means, in effect, that there are different schemes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so the administrative arrangements are entirely separate.”
To view it and read the government’s response click here.