People in England have to be older to travel on buses for free. (Image: Getty)
have demanded changes to the scheme that provides people over a certain age with free bus travel in .
More than 4,900 people have signed a petition calling for the (ENCTS) to be expanded and for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to follow Scotland’s lead by providing free bus travel to everyone over the age of 60.
Currently, those living outside who are over 66, the age, or with an eligible disability can claim free travel.
Karen Hickman, who created , argues that the current system south of the border is “unjust”. She calls for “equality for everyone over 60”.
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Campaigners want change to the current system. (Image: Getty)
Ms Hickman wrote: “We call on the Government to extend free bus travel to all people over 60 years old in England outside London. We believe the current situation is unjust and we want equality for everyone over 60.
“Currently, people in England who do not live in London are not entitled to free bus travel until they reach the age, which we believe has changed dramatically.”
“As people get older some over 60s drive less and less,” she added. “Therefore we believe we need equality on public transport. It would mean England had the same provision as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
The petition has just over 6,000 signatures at the time of writing. The Government must respond to the proposal if it attains 10,000.
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Bus travel is crucial for elderly people in the UK (Image: Getty)
If it reaches 100,000, the petition will be considered for a debate in Parliament. The deadline is June 27.
In December, the Government was urged to consider the “potential merits of a reciprocal agreement between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland” to ensure that every state pensioner could use their bus pass to travel for free to and within other UK countries.
In response, transport minister Simon Lightwood said that the concessionary travel scheme is a “devolved policy area,” meaning the “administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England.”
He added: “There are no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement”.