Disabled people in England will be able to travel by bus for free at any time of day from April, the government has announced.
Currently, disabled bus passes are only eligible for use between the hours of 09:30 and 23:00 on weekdays, making it difficult for people to get to work or attend later evening events. They can be used at any time of day at the weekend and on bank holidays.
It is believed about one million people could benefit from the change, which forms part of the government’s focus on reducing the cost of living and encouraging people into work.
The disability charity Scope said the move would “remove barriers to everyday life”.
According to the government, bus travel is the most popular mode of transport in England and a “lifeline for so many”.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it was “simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day”.
He said the government would change that, as he had done previously in his role as mayor of Greater Manchester.
Earlier this year, Burnham removed time-restricted travel for those with disabled passes in Manchester so they could use the city’s bus system, known as the Bee Network, at any time of day.
“I’m proud to do it now for the whole country,” he added.
Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and prominent advocate for the policy, called it a “huge win for the disabled community” and a “culmination of two years of campaigning”.
But a Conservative Party spokesman asked the prime minister to “come clean” on how he was going to fund “this growing list of policies”.
“This is simply the shuffling around of existing departmental budgets,” they added.
James Barber, from the disabled-led charity Transport for All, called it a “real win for disabled people” and “very welcome news”.
He said it would also help to put an end to “the confusing and unjust postcode lottery caused by different rules in different areas”.
Disability Rights UK also welcomed the move, but added that it was “only part of the journey” and work still needed to be done to ensure eligibility for the passes was applied consistently across the country.
“The government must work with disabled people’s organisations to ensure the whole system is transformed and not just the time we use that system,” they said.
Kurtis Crossthorn from Sheffield, who is registered blind, said the change would be “very welcome” and would make many disabled people feel “relieved” and “heard”.
“Disabled people need to get to work and need to live their life as well,” he added, describing buses as a “lifeline” particularly for those in community who cannot drive.
The new changes will come into force on 1 April.
The £60m scheme will be funded from the budgets of the Department for Transport and Department for Work and Pensions, the government said.
Work and Pensions minister Lilian Greenwood MP said the change was an “indefinite commitment” rather than a short-term policy, and that the government would look at how to fund this in following years during spending reviews.
As part of its focus on reducing the cost of living, the government has already introduced free bus travel for under-16s during August, as well as a £2 bus fare cap for single tickets, which bus companies have been encouraged to opt into.
It has also cut business rates for pubs and axed VAT from electricity bills.
Around the UK, disabled people in Scotland and Wales are already entitled to free bus travel, while in Northern Ireland, blind people and disabled war veterans are able to travel for free, while it is a half-fare for everyone else who holds a disabled bus pass.
