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Government scraps disabled bus pass restrictions after Harrogate MP's campaign

Tuesday, 18 August 2026 07:22

Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Time restrictions on disabled bus passes are set to be scrapped following an almost two-year campaign by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Tom Gordon.

The government is adopting the policy just weeks before Mr Gordon was due to force a second House of Commons vote on the issue when Parliament returns in September.

Under current rules, disabled bus pass holders in most of England cannot travel for free before 9.30am on weekdays.

In North Yorkshire, the restriction applies before 9am.

Mr Gordon has argued that the rules create barriers for disabled people travelling to work or education, attending hospital appointments or taking children to school.

He had been preparing to introduce a Ten-Minute Rule Bill in September which would have forced MPs to vote on removing the restrictions.

It would have been the second Commons vote on the issue in two years after an amendment to the Bus Services Bill was defeated in September 2025.

Mr Gordon said:

“Disabilities don’t start at 9 o’clock, neither should disabled bus passes and soon enough they won’t. This is a huge win for the disabled community.

“This is the culmination of two years of campaigning, and it belongs to the disabled people in Harrogate, Knaresborough and across the country who told me what these restrictions posed financial and physical barriers.

“A bus pass you can't use at peak time isn't much use if your shift, your appointment or your lecture starts at nine.

“Disability Action Yorkshire, Waterside Changemakers, Transport For All, Whizz Kids, Labour, Conservative, Green and countless Liberal Democrat MPs and Councillors have all campaigned for this.”

Mr Gordon's campaign began after the issue was raised at a constituency event with Disability Action Yorkshire.

Since then, he has raised the issue through an adjournment debate and Westminster Hall debates, questioned ministers, launched a petition and met Bus Minister Simon Lightwood.

In December 2025, he also hosted a roundtable in Parliament attended by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who later introduced the policy in Greater Manchester.

Posting after the announcement, Mr Burnham said:

"It has been good to work with you on this, Tom."

David Skaith, the Labour Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

"Credit where it's due to Tom Gordon MP who has been calling for this for some time now."

Jackie Snape, Chief Executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to hear that the time restrictions on bus passes for disabled people are to be removed.

“This will make such a difference to disabled people needing to use public transport for work, education, appointments - and getting on with life in general.

“We are indebted to Tom Gordon MP who has fought to have this changed with such compassion and tenacity since hearing first hand from local disabled people how this has adversely affected their lives. What an amazing result!”

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