Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse of introducing a national free travel pass for NHS workers.

There are no current plans to introduce national rail discounts to NHS worker. Once established, Great British Railways will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the eligibility and restrictions of concession schemes. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers and taxpayers.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as expanding the eligibility criteria to include NHS workers, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, as part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for passengers, including NHS workers.