Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of (a) restoring free off-peak bus travel to people aged 60 and over in England and (b) giving free bus travel to people aged 18 to 25 in England.

The current national concessionary scheme costs around £1 billion and, given the pressure on public finances, any further extensions to the scheme could jeopardise its sustainability.

Restoring the previous age of eligibility for concessionary bus travel to sixty would see a return to the anomalous position of non-disabled, working-age citizens receiving free bus passes. Re-establishing the link between concessionary bus pass eligibility and the state pension age has addressed that issue.

There are no plans to implement a national bus concession for young people. However, my Department continues to engage with the Department for Education on other concessions such as for apprenticeships. In addition, the new Enhanced Partnership powers in the Bus Services Act allows local transport authorities and bus operators to agree standard ticket rules, such as eligibility for reduced fares across operators. Local authorities already have the discretion to offer additional concessions, and are best placed to make decisions that match local needs and circumstances.