Disabled people to get free bus travel around the clock, Andy Burnham announces

21/07/2026 - BATH - The bus fare cap in England will revert to ?2 from January, new prime minister Andy Burnham has announced. The government says the policy, which is expected to cost more than ?500m, will "help with the cost of living and give people the breathing space they need". At the start of last year, the England-wide bus fare cap rose to ?3 under Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government, although in Liverpool and Manchester fares were held at ?2. Burnham said affordable transport links were an essential, adding: "Lower fares will help people get to where they need to." The measure gives people "a little bit of hope" in a time when many are grappling with higher living costs - especially after fuel costs spiked as a result of the US-Iran war, transport secretary Heidi Alexander told the BBC's Today programme. However, she admitted the measure was "not the whole solution". The new cap will take effect from January next year for fares on participating buses outside of London. The cost of a non-discounted single bus journey in London is ?1.75. The Burnham government said going back to a ?2 cap should particularly help passengers in rural and coastal areas, where single fares can be higher. The Campaign for Better Transport said rural areas were still suffering from fewer bus routes and services, adding that such areas had been more affected by council cut backs in the last decade than urban zones. Services in those areas - as measured by vehicle miles - decreased by 18% between 2019 and 2024, according to the County Councils Network, which represents 39 unitary and county councils across England. PICTURE: UNPIXS 21/07/2026

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.

No 10 said the move would help open up access to workplaces, education and training amid concern about the growing number of young NEETs.

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.

Make sense of the mad world of British politics

‘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.

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.’

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.’

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.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, .

MORE: Russia threatens UK with ‘consequences’ after British drones used by Ukraine

MORE: Greece is making its best attractions free for one night only

MORE: Andy Burnham ‘exchanged messages with someone impersonating Trump’s closest advisor’

Original source Disabled people to get free bus travel around the clock, Andy Burnham announces

Back to home