A new online petition calling for the free bus pass scheme to include everyone over the age of 60 has hit a major milestone.
Last year, the Department for Transport made it clear that the Labour Government has “absolutely no plans to withdraw the concessionary bus pass scheme” for those over the age of State Pension or with a disability.
Yet, an online petition is now urging for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) to be broadened, taking inspiration from Scotland by offering free bus travel to all individuals aged 60 and above.
Petition founder Karen Hickman is calling out the current system as “unjust” and is demanding “equality for everyone over 60”. She highlighted the disparity faced by residents in England outside of London, who are not eligible for free bus travel until they hit the State Pension age of 66, which she points out has “changed dramatically.”
The ‘extend free bus travel for people over 60 in England’ e-petition is live on the petitions-parliament website. Garnering 10,000 signatures would prompt a written reply from the UK Government, while reaching 100,000 could lead to a debate in Parliament overseen by the Petitions Committee.
The petition clearly demands: “We call on the Government to extend free bus travel to all people over 60 years old in England outside London. We believe the current situation is unjust and we want equality for everyone over 60.”
“Currently, people in England who do not live in London are not entitled to free bus travel until they reach the state pension age, which we believe has changed dramatically. As people get older some over 60s drive less and less, therefore we believe we need equality on public transport.”, reports the Daily Record.
“It would mean England had the same provision as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
There are two broad categories of people eligible for the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme – older people and eligible disabled people.
Both men and women are eligible for concessionary travel in England when they reach state pension age, 60 in Scotland. Eligibility for concessionary travel may vary depending on local authorities and the specific terms of the concessionary travel scheme in place.
In December, the Labour Government was urged to consider the “potential merits of a reciprocal agreement between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland” to enable every State Pensioner to use their bus pass to travel for free to and within other UK nations for free.
Labour MP Elsie Blundell put the question to the Department for Transport, but the response will be a disappointment for the 12.9 million pensioners across the UK.
Transport Minister Simon Lightwood has pointed out that the concessionary travel scheme is a “devolved policy area”, meaning that the “administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England”. In his written statement, he also mentioned: “There are no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement”.
However, it’s interesting to note that the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 does hold a provision for future mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes across the UK through regulations.
In Scotland, the National Entitlement Card (NEC) is available for people over 60, managed by the Scottish Government. This smartcard not only allows free bus travel throughout Scotland but also offers discounts on train, Subway, and ferry fares under the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme.
The NEC, sometimes known as the ‘Saltire card’, is valid for three years. A recent update in the renewal process means SPT will no longer send out renewal forms to disabled cardholders, prompting all card users to keep an eye on their card’s expiry date to ensure they continue to receive travel concessions without interruption.
SPT advises travellers to apply for a renewal card at least five weeks before the expiry date. It’s also crucial to note that according to the SPT website, the Concessionary Travel Card Unit at Buchanan Bus Station will be closed for in-person applications until further notice.
This post was originally published on here
