Almost 15,000 people will be able to get free bus travel in Norfolk earlier in the day from the start of next month.
Norfolk County Council has announced that people living in the county, who hold a disabled concessionary bus travel pass, will be able to travel within Norfolk for free at any time, seven days a week.
Up until now, those concessionary pass holders had to wait until after 9.30am on weekdays before they could travel for free, apart from those people registered blind or visually impaired.
But Conservative-controlled County Hall decided to permit free travel before that time from the start of February, with eligible companions also able to travel for free.
Graham Plant, the council's cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport, who used delegated powers to make the change, said: “Allowing all holders of a disabled pass and their eligible companions to travel for free on buses before 9.30am opens up a wealth of opportunities for them.
"It ensures they have access to work, education and leisure and helps to combat the risks of social isolation which can be associated with having a disability.
"In addition, encouraging more use of public transport leads to a greener future and helps towards our ambitious net-zero targets.”
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The change was recommended following an updated equality impact assessment of the scheme which concluded it was unfair to offer a discretionary enhancement to just one group of disabled people.
The change will cost an estimated £50,000, paid for by the council’s ring-fenced public transport budget, provided by the Department for Transport.
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Steve Morphew, leader of the county council's Labour group, welcomed the change but questioned why it had not been made sooner.
He said: "If the cost can be met from an existing ring-fenced budget, so no new funding is required, and it brings so many benefits, why on earth wasn't this done before?
"Announcing it as an improvement should also come with an apology that this opportunity has been missed for so long."
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