PETITION

Tom Gordon Excerpts

Monday 8th September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)]

I rise to present a petition on disabled bus passes and their use during peak hours. At the moment, across England, there is a 9.30 am barrier, as before that time people are not guaranteed to be able to use their disabled bus pass. This varies wildly across England, depending on whether different local authorities subsidise and enhance that concession. I believe, as do the petitioners and others, that people live with their disabilities 24/7 and that those disabilities do not know the bounds of such arbitrary time limits.

I thank Jackie Snape of Disability Action Yorkshire, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Waterside Changemakers and all the other campaign groups who have helped with the campaign and the petition. We know that disabled people already face unfair and additional barriers when participating in society. These structural and societal inequalities include higher living costs and limited transport options.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to allow disabled people to use their bus passes at all times of day, including during peak hours, to promote fairness, independence and equal access to public transport.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The Petition of residents of North Yorkshire,

Declares that restricting the use of disabled persons’ bus passes during peak hours is unfair and places additional barriers on disabled people, who already face significant structural and societal inequalities, including higher living costs and limited transport options.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to allow disabled people to use their bus passes at all times of day, including during peak hours, to promote fairness, independence, and equal access to public transport.]

[P003099]