Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to operate on a 24-hour basis; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on disabled people.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £795 million annually in reimbursement to operators and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as extending the travel time criteria, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability. The Government has conducted a review of the ENCTS, which included considering travel times for passholders and is currently considering next steps.

Currently, local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations under the ENCTS and offer additional discretionary concessions, such as extending the travel time criteria for the ENCTS.

The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across England to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year. West Sussex County Council will be allocated £28.4 million under the LABG from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £9.7 million they are already receiving this financial year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, which could include extending discretionary concessions locally.