New update on calls to extend free bus pass travel for older people across the UK

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Transport has rejected proposals in an online petition calling for the concessionary bus pass for people of State Pension age to be extended to cover travel across all parts of the UK.

In its written response on Tuesday, the Department said that the concessionary travel scheme is restricted to within each nation of the United Kingdom and there are “no plans to introduce mutual recognition of the separate schemes”.More than 14,700 people have shown support for the e-petition created by Charles David Smith, who argues that giving older people the option to travel for free across all four nations of the UK would “enhance their lives”.

At present, the pass can only be used in the country where it has been issued, meaning people in Scotland can use it anywhere north of the border - but not in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.It emerged earlier this year it could be possible to allow people with a concessionary bus pass to travel throughout the UK - in the future.

However, Minister for Roads and Local Transport Guy Opperman MP said there are no present plans to “introduce such an arrangement”.In the response on the petitions-parliament website, the Department for Transport said: “Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area and as such, the benefits and restrictions for the concessionary bus pass differs between the devolved nations of the UK.“This means, in effect, that there are different schemes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so the administrative arrangements are entirely separate.”It continued: “The Government recognises the importance of the concessionary travel scheme and that is why the Government supports Council spending of around £1 billion each year on concessionary travel.