Millions of pensioners could bag free nation-wide rail travel

A petition has called for free rail travel to be brought in for people of state pension age (Image: GETTY) A petition calling for people of state pension age to be granted free country-wide train travel is to be considered again by the Government. The online document was signed by 21,892 people, outlining the scheme would greatly enhance’ the mental wellbeing of users. The Department for Transport (DfT) initially rejected the campaign but the Petitions Committee has asked the Government to take another look, saying their initial response was not sufficient. Committee members said the department’s response ‘did not directly address the request of petition’ and has urged ministers to provide a more detailed response, the Daily Record reports. The DfT provided its response in August claiming the current concessionary travel provision costs around £1billion annually. The response also said: ‘Any changes to the minimum statutory scheme, such as free travel on rail, would therefore need to be carefully considered for their impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.’ The department offered some hope to the petitioners outlining that local authorities in England can ‘go beyond their statutory obligations, such as offering free travel on rail as part of the ENCTS (English National Concessionary Travel Scheme) pass.’ The travel bosses also explained some of the headline costs of travel for the taxpayer. It said: ‘UK taxpayers contributed £31billion in 2020/21 and 2021/22 to the day-to-day costs of the railway, ensuring stability for staff and avoiding job losses during the pandemic. A petition has called for free rail travel to be brought in for people of state pension age (Image: Getty) ‘Even before the pandemic, the Government was contributing over £4billion per annum for day-to-day operations. ‘It is important now to put rail finances on a sustainable footing in a way that is fair to passengers and taxpayers in the challenging economic climate we currently face.’ The DfT will publish its revised response on the petition page, which the first response was also published. Their initial response also pointed out that people aged 60 and over can get a Senior Railcard providing a third off travel. People of state pension age in England can get a bus pass granting free travel. The state pension age is currently 66 and is set to gradually increase to 67 and then 68 over the coming years. The Government website has a tool a person can use to find if they can get a bus pass from their local council, and if they can get one before they reach state pension age. For the latest personal finance news, follow us on Twitter at @ExpressMoney_.