Overview

• Campaigners secured a Commons debate after their petition exceeded 100,000 signatures on the Parliament website.
• Under ENCTS, free off-peak bus travel remains statutorily available only to disabled passengers and those aged 66 or over.
• The Department for Transport has allocated £955 million for 2025–26, including £712 million for councils to strengthen bus services outside London.
• Minister Simon Lightwood cautioned that the scheme’s £700 million annual cost requires careful assessment before making any statutory changes.
• Only London, Merseyside and a few other areas have already extended passes below state pension age, with East Sussex receiving £10.3 million in the latest funding round.