Extending free travel times for disabled bus pass holders

Disabled residents will soon be able to travel on local bus services for free at any time in the day following a decision by Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive to remove all time restrictions from the disabled bus pass and disabled plus companion bus pass.   

The change, which will come into effect from Sunday 1 December, will see the English National Concessionary Travel scheme (ENCTS) disabled bus pass and disabled plus companion passes, which can currently only be used between 9am and 11pm, extended so they can be used at any time of the morning or night when boarding a bus in the borough.  

The decision to amend the terms has been made in direct response to comments from disabled residents, and their carers, at recent social care future workshops and through the Local Transport Plan consultation earlier this year. Feedback showed that the current time restriction was impacting on disabled people’s ability to get to work or attend activities including medical appointments, education and leisure.   

This will also bring Wokingham Borough’s discretionary disabled bus pass scheme in line with the neighbouring boroughs of Bracknell and Reading making it easier for residents to access routes which cross boundary lines.  

Listening to what you told us  

Cllr David Hare, executive member for adult services, health and wellbeing, said: “Since we adopted our Social Care Future charter in January, we’ve been working closely with people supported by our adult social care service to make sure they have a say in the support they receive and can help shape the decisions we make.  

“Helping people live gloriously ordinary lives is at the very heart of the social care future movement and it’s great to see it in action through proposals like this. This change will make it easier for our disabled residents to do the things they tell us are important to them, like being able to get to work, appointments or training.”   

Supporting our wider ambitions 

Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, said: “Changes like this are a direct result of these community conversations we’ve been holding during the year and of how we’re listening to local residents. We’ve heard the comments made by disabled bus pass holders and their carers and have been working closely with them to come up with real solutions to make things better.  

“This proposal also supports the aspirations in our emerging local transport plan, and other policies such as the climate emergency action plan. We want to encourage people to use sustainable transport, as much as possible and especially at peak times, to help reduce local carbon emissions and tackle congestion on our roads. By helping enable disabled bus pass holders to travel for free before 9am we can help encourage them to use bus services to meet their needs and reduce reliance on cars.”   

About the disabled bus pass 

There are currently 2,170 disabled bus pass holders living in the borough, with the change expected to cost the council an extra £6,000 in the current financial year and £15,000 a year from 2025-26.  

Many of those in possession of disabled bus passes are of working or studying age so are especially impacted by the time restrictions currently in place when trying to access education and employment opportunities.  

From Sunday 1 December, ENCTS disabled or disabled plus companion pass holders will be able to use their passes at any time on the following qualifying bus services:  

• All registered local bus services when boarding within the borough 
• All registered Park and Ride services when boarding within the borough 

They will remain unable to use their passes on community transport and volunteer services at any time.  

The changes do not apply to the elderly bus pass which will remain restricted to free travel between 9am and 11pm weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.  

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