England and Tamil Nadu expand free bus travel for disabled citizens

Governments in England and the Indian state of Tamil Nadu have announced expansions to free bus travel programs for persons with disabilities.

In England, starting April 1, disabled people will have access to 24/7 free bus travel. This removes previous off-peak restrictions that limited travel to weekdays between 09:30 and 23:00, a change expected to benefit approximately one million people. The £60 million initiative is funded jointly by the Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions.

In Tamil Nadu, the government has expanded free travel for individuals with a disability rating of 40% or higher. Using the Unique Disability Identity Card (UDID), eligible passengers can now use a wider range of services, including Express, Limited Stop Service (LSS), Deluxe, and mofussil buses, though air-conditioned services remain excluded. The expanded scheme also allows an attendant to travel free of cost if the passenger cannot commute independently. The program is being implemented at an annual cost of Rs 114 crore.