Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the current concessionary travel scheme in areas experiencing reductions in local bus services; and what steps she is taking to ensure that pensioners can access essential services where public transport provision is limited, including through travel tokens.

The Government is committed to delivering better bus services and ensuring that everyone in England, including concessionary pass holders, can access the services they need. Our Bus Services Act 2025 puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England.

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services in the Spending Review, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 to 2028/29 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead to improve services for local communities. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish to deliver better services for passengers, this could include expanding current bus provision.

The statutory English National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides eligible older and disabled people with free off‑peak local bus travel, and this entitlement is enshrined in law. In addition, local authorities have the power to provide alternative concessionary schemes. Where they choose to do so, an individual eligible for the statutory concession may surrender their free bus pass in return for concessions under an alternative local scheme, such as travel tokens. Decisions on whether to offer such schemes are a matter for individual local authorities, reflecting their local circumstances and priorities.