Overview

• The petition by Karen Hickman has gathered nearly 80,000 signatures aimed at lowering the free bus travel age in England to 60 outside London.
• MPs including Tom Hayes and Pippa Heylings have pressed the Department for Transport on weekday pre-9:30 am restrictions that limit older and disabled passengers’ access.
• Under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, free off-peak bus travel is restricted to those aged 66 and above and eligible disabled individuals at an annual cost of around £700 million.
• The government earmarked £955 million for 2025–26 to bolster bus services outside London and stressed that local authorities can introduce additional discretionary concessions.
• Advocates point to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and areas like Merseyside that already offer free travel from age 60, highlighting England’s policy gap.