Gordon Brown

Brown's 2006 Budget committed funding to extend concessionary travel across England. From April 2008, eligible older and disabled residents could use local buses free at off-peak times beyond their own local authority area. This was an England-wide concession, not free travel on every form of transport throughout the UK. It removed a fare barrier and a geographical restriction, while local authorities and operators still had to fund, reimburse and provide the services people needed.