Newton Abbot MP hails major change to disabled bus pass restrictions
A long-running campaign to remove time restrictions on disabled bus passes has succeeded, with Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley welcoming the change as a major win for disabled passengers
Disabled people in Newton Abbot will soon be free from a restriction that has stopped them from using their bus passes to get to work before 9.30am.
The town’s Liberal Democrat MP, Martin Wrigley, has welcomed the Government’s decision to scrap time restrictions on disabled people’s bus passes, following an almost two-year campaign led by Yorkshire Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon.
Disabled pass holders currently cannot travel for free before 9.30am on weekdays, a rule that has made it harder to get to work, college, hospital appointments and to drop children off at school. Under the change, passes will be valid at any time of day.
Mr Wrigley voted for the change alongside Mr Gordon in September 2025 and has campaigned locally for the restriction to be removed.
Mr Wrigley said: “Disabilities don’t start at nine o’clock, and now neither do disabled bus passes. This is a huge win for disabled people in Newton Abbot and across the country.
“Liberal Democrats have pushed for this for almost two years, in Parliament and here in Newton Abbot, and I’m delighted it has finally been won. It should not have taken this long, but what matters now is that disabled people can get on the bus whenever they need to.”
Mr Wrigley is also backing a campaign spearheaded by Dawlish district councillor Alison Foden, calling for fair fares for residents of Dawlish.
“Under Stagecoach South West’s ticketing zones, Dawlish is not included within the Exeter ticket zone while Dawlish Warren is.
“This means a day ticket from Dawlish to Exeter would cost £3.50 more than if you boarded the bus at Dawlish Warren. And yet, to get from Dawlish Warren to Exeter you have to take two buses and change in Dawlish!
“All of this makes even less sense since Dawlish and Dawlish Warren are to be included in the new reorganisation of councils as Exeter Council, so we are asking people to support the campaign asking Stagecoach South West to look again at their ticketing zones to ensure fairness for all residents.”