The Department for Transport is under pressure to revise a free bus pass rule established in the Transport Act 2000. A growing petition is calling on the Labour government to grant free bus passes to carers accompanying disabled individuals.
Currently, people over 60 can access discounted travel in many local authority areas, but the national free bus pass age aligns with the rising state pension age, set by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), increasing from 66 to 67.
The petition demands: “Amend the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, Transport Act 2000, and related legislation to provide mandatory free bus passes for all carers of disabled people.”
It highlights that many disabled people rely on carers for travel, yet their carers must pay for bus fares, meaning the journey is not entirely free. “The scheme is designed to enable eligible elderly and disabled people to travel free by bus. However, if disabled individuals who depend on carers have to pay their carers' fares, they are not truly benefiting from free travel,” the petition states.
The petitioners argue that carers of disabled individuals with bus passes should also receive free travel passes to ensure truly accessible transportation for everyone involved.
If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. With 100,000 signatures, the issue could be debated in Parliament.
In London, transport concessions are already generous: older people can travel free on TfL services outside weekday peak hours, while disabled people can travel free at all times. For those transitioning from a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass to an Older Person’s Freedom Pass but still needing to travel before 9am, eligibility for a new Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass may be available by contacting their local borough.
The petition reflects growing public awareness and demand for fairer, more inclusive transport policies to support the needs of carers and disabled people alike.