Trailblazing travel scheme just the ticket for city’s older bus passengers

Older residents in Stoke-on-Trent will be able to travel for free on local buses before 9.30am on weekdays from October.

The changes will make it easier for those eligible to get to medical appointments, see family or do the weekly shop without watching the clock for their bus pass to kick in.

The city council has approved a new local enhancement to the government-funded English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), allowing older people's pass holders to travel free before 9.30am Monday-Friday from Monday 5 October 2026, as part of a pilot running until 31 March 2027. 

The Potteries Freedom Pass initiative follows the successful introduction of free pre-9.30am travel for disabled bus pass holders in September 2025 and forms part of the council's ongoing commitment to improving accessibility, reducing transport costs and supporting independent living.  

Under the national ENCTS scheme, eligible older and disabled pass holders currently receive free bus travel after 9.30am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on Bank Holidays.

The new Potteries Freedom Pass means older people's pass holders will now be able to travel free at any time, on any day of the week, across participating local bus services in Stoke-on-Trent. 
By introducing the scheme, Stoke-on-Trent City Council becomes one of only a handful of local authorities in England to fund unlimited travel for those residents of state pension age.
 
The city council has reached an agreement with local bus operators – D&G Bus, First Potteries, Scraggs and Stantons of Stoke – to deliver the enhancement, which will be supported by a joint marketing campaign to encourage greater use of public transport. 

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, Cabinet Member for Growth, Regeneration and Transport at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "We are committed to making it easier and more affordable for people to travel across Stoke-on-Trent, and I'm delighted that we are now able to extend this additional support to older people's bus pass holders.

"We know that many residents need to travel earlier in the day for medical appointments, volunteering opportunities, employment, shopping and other essential activities. Removing the cost barrier for early morning journeys will help people remain independent, stay connected and access the services they need. 

"The introduction of free pre-9.30am travel for disabled pass holders has been well received and the Potteries Freedom Pass builds on that success. We will continue to work closely with our bus operators and monitor passenger numbers as the scheme develops. 

"This sits alongside the £2 bus fare cap and the upcoming 24/7 free travel for disabled pass holders from April, as part of a wider package to make bus travel more affordable and accessible right across the city. 
"We want to encourage more residents to choose the bus whenever possible. Not only does this help people save money, but it also supports our wider ambitions around accessibility, sustainability and reducing social isolation." 

The council has confirmed that the Potteries Freedom Pass will be met within the existing concessionary fares budget. 

For information about concessionary bus travel and eligibility criteria, visit: Free bus pass | Stoke-on-Trent