Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Andy Burnham previously championed free and capped bus travel schemes as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, most notably the Our Pass free travel card for 16-18-year-olds and local £2 fare caps. Greater Manchester has since extended free bus travel down to ages 11-16 starting in January, while a nationwide £2 bus fare cap across England was announced.
Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Free & Capped Bus Travel Schemes
Andy Burnham recently stepped down as Mayor of Greater Manchester to become Prime Minister. During his leadership in Manchester, he pioneered several major free travel initiatives, many of which have now been expanded nationwide or continued by his successor.
Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Free Travel for Under-16s (August 2026 Nationwide Initiative)
As Prime Minister, Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey introduced the Great British Summer Savings scheme.
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The Deal: This initiative provides free bus travel for children aged 15 and under across England.
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Timeframe: The free travel is active throughout the entire month of August and will end on August 31, 2026.
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National Expansion: It includes five principal bus operators (Stagecoach, First Bus, Arriva, Go-Ahead, and National Express) to alleviate summertime cost-of-living burdens for nearly 14 million young people.
Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Greater Manchester’s ‘Our Pass’ Scheme (Aged 11–18)
While Mayor, Burnham launched Our Pass, a scheme giving 16-to-18-year-olds free travel on the local Bee Network for a small £10 administration fee.
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The Latest Update: Following Burnham’s departure, the newly elected Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig, announced on her first day in office that Our Pass will expand to include all 11-to-16-year-olds.
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Rollout: This local expansion will open for applications later this year and officially launch in January 2027, saving local families roughly £500 a year per child.
Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Older & Disabled Persons Concessionary Passes
Under Burnham’s mayoral leadership, Greater Manchester trialled and permanently removed the 9:30 AM restriction on elderly and disabled concessionary passes.
Pass holders in the region can travel for free round-the-clock on Bee Network buses. Disability advocates are currently lobbying Burnham’s new national government to expand this 24/7 rule across the rest of the UK.
Andy Burnham Free Bus Pass: Nationwide £2 Bus Fare Cap
For those not eligible for a free pass, Burnham’s government announced that the single bus fare cap across England (outside London) will be reduced from £3 down to £2 starting 1 January 2027 to further combat travel costs.
