Tom Gordon launches campaign to allow disabled people to use their bus passes throughout the day.

Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has launched a new campaign for disabled people to be allowed to use their bus passes throughout the day. At present, with a few exceptions, they are prevented from using their bus passes before 9am in North Yorkshire. Tom raised this topic in Parliament in February, challenging the policy and asking a Minister what they would do about it. The Minister didn’t seem to understand the question, and talked about vague funding promises, not even mentioning disabled people. This has galvanised Tom to start this petition on the issue. 

The issue was originally brought to Tom’s attention following a panel discussion with Disability Action Yorkshire, a local charity focussed on empowering disabled individuals. It brought together specialists in transport, housing, healthcare, employment, and town centre accessibility for the event. 

The ramifications of this policy are wide-reaching. It affects disabled people who work, making it harder and more expensive to get to jobs starting at 9 o’clock or before, potentially preventing them from contributing to the economy. It also affects those who may need to travel for morning doctor’s appointments, for example, or for other essential meetings or trips. It has been described as an unfair and discriminatory practice. 

In response to the lack of a proper Government response, and concerned about the impacts of the policy, Tom Gordon MP has launched a petition for the policy to be reversed, and allow disabled people free travel throughout the day using their pass, rather than just at off-peak times. 

Commenting, Tom said: 

“This unfair and discriminatory practice must be reversed. There’s a reason that disabled people get bus passes – to help them get around, live their lives and contribute to society. There’s no good reason for throttling their lives with a policy like this.

“The Government must act to help disabled people live fair lives. Free bus passes make disabled people’s lives easier and cheaper. They already face additional costs in their lives, and there’s no good reason to limit free public transport to certain times of the day. It’s a fundamentally discriminatory policy that tells disabled people they’re less important. 

“I want to see a fair society, where everyone is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. This current practice is wrong and damaging. We need to see action to reverse it, and that’s why I’ve launched this petition.”

ENDS

You can find the petition here (Disabled Bus Passes Petition - Tom Gordon MP), or by clicking on the link at the top of the screen