Disabled bus pass holders in Stone already have access to all-day free travel on buses within Staffordshire, ahead of a national change due in April 2027.
The Government has announced that time restrictions on disabled person's concessionary bus passes will be removed nationally from 1 April 2027. Currently, the national entitlement is generally restricted to between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays, though councils can provide more generous local arrangements.
Staffordshire County Council has already chosen to do this. Eligible pass holders in Stone can use their pass at any time of day when boarding a bus within Staffordshire.
Travel Outside Staffordshire
The key difference comes when travelling outside the county. For journeys that start outside Staffordshire, the existing national time restrictions currently apply. From April 2027, disabled bus pass holders from Stone will be able to make eligible journeys anywhere in England without those time restrictions.
The national change applies to disabled person's bus passes, not older person's concessionary passes.
Council Welcome
Andrew Mynors, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Connectivity, welcomed the announcement and highlighted the arrangement already available locally.
Mynors said: "While this announcement is welcome in that it provides free travel across England at any time of day; in Staffordshire this is something we already offer for our disabled residents as a forward-thinking authority. Disability shouldn't be a barrier to connectivity at any time, and in Staffordshire it is a priority to us to ensure we're supporting people in living independent lives where they can access services and leisure facilities when they need to."
The council is also running its Celebrating the Difference campaign this year, which focuses on making public transport more accessible for people with any type of disability by promoting existing tools.
How to Apply
People in Stone who think they may qualify for a disabled person's bus pass can find eligibility and application information on Staffordshire County Council's website.
