Disabled people in England will get 24/7 free bus travel from next April, Andy Burnham is to announce. Currently, most disabled bus pass holders can only travel for free between 9.30am and 11pm during weekdays. All time limits will be removed on April 1, meaning the passes can be used for the morning commute and weekend travel too.
Removing time restrictions
Burnham previously scrapped the time restrictions for disabled people in Greater Manchester in March. He 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.'
A number of other local authorities, including Bath and North East Somerset, also offer around-the-clock free bus travel for disabled bus pass holders.
Funding and eligibility
The measure will cost £60 million, the government said, which will be funded from existing budgets for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Department for Transport (DfT). Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: 'For too long, disabled people have held a free bus pass in their pocket that didn't always get them to work. Now we're changing that. By removing these time restrictions, we're helping disabled people access jobs, training, and other opportunities at any time of the day.'
People can be eligible for a disabled bus pass if they are blind or partially sighted; profoundly or severely deaf; without speech; unable or virtually unable to walk due to a disability; without arms, or unable to use both of their arms; have a learning disability; or would not be able to get a driving licence on medical grounds.
Ending the postcode lottery
Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, said the measure would bring an end to a 'postcode lottery' resulting from some local authorities offering it independently. She added: 'We are making this change because we've listened to disabled people, and we know the importance of buses to local communities. 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.'
