Disabled People to Get Free Bus Travel Anytime by 2027

Key Points

• The Transport Committee chairman Ruth Cadbury has hailed the Government’s announcement that it will remove the time limit on free bus travel for disabled people in England on weekdays.
• The change is to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), which currently restricts concessionary travel to weekdays from 9.30 am to 11 pm. The change affects the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), which currently allows free travel on weekdays between 9.30 am and 11 pm.
• The reform opens up free travel for eligible disabled people for all local buses, throughout the day, every day of the week.
• From 1 April 2027, the new rule is set to go into effect.
• Currently, there is no guaranteed free transport available for disabled people in the rest of the UK except for services in specific parts of the country, e.g. London and Manchester, where funding has been made available.
• Disabled people experience greater costs of living and are often on low incomes and shouldn’t be denied access to travel to work, medical appointments or social activities at a time of their choosing, Ruth Cadbury said.
• The reform is likely to make the free travel scheme for disabled passengers in the rest of England more similar to those in the major cities.

Westminster (Britain Today News) August 18, 2026: Disabled people across England are set to benefit from free bus travel at any time of day, following Government plans to remove the long-standing weekday time restriction on the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS). The Chair of the Transport Committee, Ruth Cadbury, has welcomed the proposed change, which is scheduled to take effect from 1 April 2027, saying disabled passengers should not be restricted in when they are able to travel.

What Has the Government Announced?

The Government has confirmed its intention to remove the statutory weekday time restriction currently attached to free bus travel for eligible disabled passholders under the ENCTS. The announcement means that, from 1 April 2027, disabled people holding a valid concessionary pass will no longer be limited to travelling for free only during set daytime hours on weekdays. Instead, they will be entitled to free local bus travel at any time, on any day of the week, bringing their entitlement in line with the flexibility many passengers without disabilities take for granted.

What Is the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS)?

The ENCTS is the statutory framework that governs free local bus travel entitlements for older and disabled people across England. It sets out the minimum level of free travel that local authorities must provide to eligible passholders, including elderly residents and people who meet the scheme’s disability criteria. While the scheme guarantees a baseline entitlement nationally, individual local authorities and city regions have the option to go further by extending the hours or scope of free travel, provided they secure the funding to do so.

What Are the Current Restrictions on Free Bus Travel for Disabled People?

Under the existing statutory ENCTS entitlement, free local bus travel for disabled passholders is only guaranteed between 9:30 am and 11 pm on weekdays. Outside of these hours on weekdays, disabled passengers are not automatically entitled to free travel under the national scheme. However, the restriction does not apply at weekends or on bank holidays, when free travel is available all day. Campaigners and transport officials have long pointed out that this weekday time limit can create practical difficulties for disabled people who need to travel outside the permitted hours, whether for early shifts, late appointments or emergencies.

When Will the New Rules Take Effect?

According to the Government’s plans, the removal of the weekday time restriction is due to take effect from 1 April 2027. From that date, eligible disabled passholders across England will be able to use their concessionary pass for free bus travel at any time, removing the current gap in provision that exists during early mornings and late evenings on weekdays.

What Has the Transport Committee Chair Said About the Change?

Ruth Cadbury, Chair of the Transport Committee, publicly welcomed the announcement. She said:

“I welcome the removal of the public transport restriction on local buses for disabled people, who will be able to use local buses for free all day across England.”

She went on to highlight the practical importance of the change for disabled people’s daily lives, adding:

“Disabled people need to get to work and access health appointments, and they want to have a social life, yet incur higher living costs and are often on very low incomes. They should not be restricted on when they can travel.”

Her comments frame the policy change not simply as an administrative adjustment to bus timetabling rules, but as a matter of economic fairness and social inclusion for disabled passengers who rely on buses as an affordable and accessible form of transport.

Why Do Disabled People Need Unrestricted Bus Travel?

The rationale set out by the Transport Committee Chair centres on the everyday realities faced by disabled people. Buses remain one of the most accessible and affordable forms of public transport for disabled passengers, many of whom do not drive or cannot rely on cars due to cost, health or mobility considerations. Restricting free travel to a fixed weekday window can limit disabled people’s ability to reach workplaces that require early starts or late finishes, attend medical appointments scheduled outside the permitted hours, or take part in social and leisure activities in the evening.

What Costs Do Disabled People Face?

Ruth Cadbury specifically pointed to the financial pressures facing disabled people, noting that they “incur higher living costs and are often on very low incomes.” This reflects a wider, well-documented pattern in which disability is frequently associated with additional day-to-day expenses, from specialist equipment to higher energy use, alongside lower average incomes due to barriers to employment. Removing the weekday time restriction is intended to reduce the financial and practical burden of travel for this group, ensuring cost is not a barrier to work, healthcare or social participation at any time of day.

Which Areas Already Offer Free Bus Travel at Any Time?

Not all of England currently operates under the standard ENCTS weekday restriction. In certain areas, disabled people already benefit from free bus travel at any time of day, including outside the 9:30 am to 11 pm weekday window. London and Manchester are cited as examples of places where this enhanced provision already exists, as local funding has been specifically allocated to remove the time restriction ahead of the national change.

How Does London and Manchester’s Funding Model Differ?

The reason London and Manchester can offer unrestricted free travel for disabled people lies in local funding arrangements that go beyond the statutory minimum set out in the ENCTS. Rather than being bound solely by the national scheme’s weekday time limit, transport authorities in these areas have chosen to fund additional hours of free travel for eligible passengers. This has effectively created a two-tier system in England, where the level of free bus travel available to disabled people can depend on where they live. The Government’s planned change from April 2027 is intended to close this gap by extending unrestricted free travel to disabled passholders nationally, rather than leaving it dependent on local funding decisions.
Explore More about Politics:
Burnham Backs Ukraine 100% Amid Russian Drone Threat
Burnham to Report to Parliament on Early Release Scheme Row

What Does This Mean for Disabled Passengers Across England?

For disabled passengers outside London, Manchester and other areas with enhanced local schemes, the change represents a significant expansion of their travel entitlement. From 1 April 2027, they will no longer need to plan journeys around the current weekday time window, and will instead be able to use their concessionary pass for free travel on local buses regardless of the time or day. This is expected to particularly benefit disabled people with early or late working patterns, those attending appointments outside standard daytime hours, and those wishing to travel in the evening for social or leisure purposes.

What Happens Next?

With the change confirmed for 1 April 2027, attention will now turn to how the removal of the statutory weekday restriction is implemented across local authorities and bus operators in England. The Transport Committee, chaired by Ruth Cadbury, has signalled its support for the reform, framing it as a step towards fairer and more consistent treatment of disabled passengers regardless of where they live in England. As the implementation date approaches, further details are expected on how the change will be applied consistently across the country’s bus network, ensuring eligible disabled passholders can rely on the new entitlement from day one.