Two disabled Nottingham residents have called for changes to a concessionary bus travel policy after their disability passes were automatically replaced with older person’s passes when they reached State Pension age.
The change meant Des Conway and Liz Silver could no longer travel free before 9.30am on weekdays, despite continuing to meet the eligibility criteria for a disabled person’s bus pass.
Mr Conway’s disability pass had previously been renewed every five years. However, his final pass was issued with an expiry date of 6 April, his 66th birthday.
He wrote to Nottingham City Council asking for his disability pass to be reinstated, arguing that the policy was discriminatory.
Councillor Angela Kandola, who was responsible for transport at the time, said the council was not in a position to change a policy that had been operating for 10 years.
She said: “This reflects the fact that one of the main objectives of providing the pre-9.30am Mobility Pass Concession is to help people with the cost of their journey to work and educational establishments.
“This will generally be achieved by providing a pass for people under the age of 66. I acknowledge that this arrangement isn’t perfect and it is something that could be reviewed in the future.”
That response was issued almost three years ago, but the policy has not since been reviewed.
Mr Conway, now 68, has neurological conditions affecting his balance and ability to walk.
He said: “Our disabilities don’t disappear. Our disabilities are there before our 66th birthday and they’re there afterwards. If anything, they’re getting worse.”
Liz Silver, who is visually impaired, received a disability pass in 1981 after moving to Nottingham from London in 1975. Her pass was also replaced when she reached 66 in January 2023.
Ms Silver, now 69, said: “I was shocked. I just assumed that my disability pass would continue. I didn’t have a clue.
“Trying to save money by targeting disabled people is so out of order. They’re not thinking about the fact that disabled people have lives that start before 9.30am.”
Disabled people in Nottingham were able to travel free at any time from 2008. The council withdrew the concession in 2018, citing reductions in local government funding and wider financial pressures.
The concession was reinstated in February 2020 following a two-year campaign led by Mr Conway. However, it applied only to eligible disabled people below State Pension age. Mr Conway and Ms Silver, who was also involved in the campaign, said they were unaware of that restriction at the time.
The Department for Transport said there is no legal requirement for someone holding a disabled person’s bus pass to change to an older person’s pass when they reach State Pension age. Anyone who continues to meet the disability eligibility criteria can hold a disabled person’s pass at any age.
From April 2027, disabled bus pass holders across England are due to be allowed free travel at any time. The change will remove the existing national restriction limiting concessionary travel to between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays.
As the policy currently stands, however, Mr Conway and Ms Silver would not benefit because they now hold older person’s passes.
Ms Silver said: “You have a birthday and that makes you a pensioner, but nothing else changes for the individual.
“You might be working beyond retirement age, you might be going to classes or going to all sorts of things. Nothing like that changes just because you’ve had a birthday.
“It just seems so unjustified. Logically, it doesn’t make sense when you think about it. It’s ridiculously unfair and thoughtless.”
Responsibility for public transport in Nottingham and Derbyshire transferred to the East Midlands Combined County Authority ahead of the 2026/27 financial year.
EMCCA is reviewing concessionary travel schemes inherited from the area’s councils, with any revised arrangements expected to take effect from April 2027.
An EMCCA spokesperson said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement to extend travel times for disabled bus pass holders, bringing greater consistency for disabled people across the East Midlands.
“We recognise the concerns raised about concessionary travel arrangements and, following the transfer of transport responsibilities from constituent councils, we will review the concessionary travel scheme over the coming months.
“This will include consideration of how arrangements can be brought together for 2027/28, including issues relating to time restrictions and eligibility.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Anyone who remains eligible for a disabled person’s bus pass can continue to hold and use it, whatever their age, and there is no legal requirement to switch to an older person’s bus pass.
“Disabled bus passes are a lifeline for many, which is why we have lifted time restrictions so it’s free for people to travel all day, every day.”
Nottingham City Council was approached for comment.
By Joseph Connolly, Local Democracy Reporter
