Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure equal access to concessionary bus passes throughout the country.

There are no current plans to change the concessionary bus travel arrangements in England.

Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area. This means that there are separate schemes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the administrative arrangements are entirely separate.

Eligibility for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) is linked to the state pension age. The ENCTS costs around £1 billion annually, so any changes, such as extending free bus travel to those who are not yet eligible for the ENCTS, need to be carefully considered for their impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.