Andy Burnham lifts time limits on disabled bus passes for 24/7 free travel

From April 1 2027 disabled‑bus‑pass holders across England will be able to ride any bus at any hour without paying a fare. The move, announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, removes the long‑standing “9.30 am‑to‑11 pm weekday” restriction that has limited access for thousands of disabled commuters. By erasing the postcode lottery that left some local authorities covering the cost themselves, the government hopes to ease cost‑of‑living pressure and open up work, education and healthcare opportunities for people with disabilities.

Burnham framed the policy as a continuation of the approach he first tried in Greater Manchester, where he scrapped the limits in March. “Buses are a lifeline for so many people – making it easier to get to work, education and healthcare,” he said. “It’s simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day. So we’re fixing that. Disabled people will now have unlimited free bus travel 24/7.”

Media additions

“It’s simply not right that many disabled people cannot travel using their pass during certain times of the day. So we’re fixing that.”

Andy Burnham, Prime Minister, via Metro

The funding package behind the change totals £60 million – £40 million from the Department for Work and Pensions and £20 million from the Department for Transport. Both departments say the money is being re‑allocated from existing budgets, a point highlighted by a Conservative Party spokesman who warned the government “needs to come clean about how he is going to fund this growing list of policies” source.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander called the reform “an end to this postcode lottery”, noting that “we’re making this change because we’ve listened to disabled people, and we know the importance of buses to local communities.” Lancashire Telegraph reports that Alexander added the new rule would “unlock opportunities and access to jobs, learning, and more”.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden echoed the sentiment, saying the removal of time caps would “help remove barriers to employment and education”. He argued that for too long “disabled people have held a free bus pass in their pocket that didn’t always get them to work”, and that the change “we’re helping disabled people access jobs, training, and other opportunities at any time of the day” source.

Charity leaders welcomed the announcement. Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Mencap, described the funding as “welcome relief for disabled people struggling with the cost of living as well as the extra costs of being disabled”. He highlighted that the policy “removes the inference that disabled people can’t or shouldn’t work”. James Taylor, Executive Director Strategy Impact & Social Change with Scope, said the round‑the‑clock travel “will put money back in people’s pockets and remove barriers to everyday life”. Both statements appear in the Lancashire Telegraph report.

Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon, who has campaigned for the change for almost two years, called the decision “a huge win for the disabled community”. He argued that “disabilities don’t start at 9 o’clock, neither should disabled bus passes and soon enough they won’t”. His praise is recorded in the Yahoo piece.

Key dates and developments

• March 2026 – Greater Manchester lifts time restrictions on disabled bus passes under Burnham’s mayoral authority.
• April 1 2027 – Nationwide removal of weekday‑only limits; free travel 24 hours a day, seven days a week becomes law across England.

Eligibility for a disabled person’s bus pass is set out in the Transport Act 2000 and includes people who are blind or partially sighted, profoundly or severely deaf, without speech, unable or virtually unable to walk because of a disability, without arms, or unable to use both arms, people with a learning disability, and people who would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds (other than because of drug or alcohol misuse).

Local authorities such as Bath and North East Somerset already provide around‑the‑clock free travel, a fact noted by Metro. Burnham’s national rollout thus aligns the whole country with the pockets of free service that have existed “independently” in certain councils.

While most political voices praised the move as a tangible step toward greater inclusion, opposition critics focused on the fiscal angle. The Conservative Party spokesman questioned the sustainability of the “shuffling around of existing departmental budgets” and urged Burnham to clarify the longer‑term funding strategy.