by John Prince
Older and disabled residents across the East Riding will finally get the same all-day free bus travel as people in Hull starting in April 2027.
The Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority approved the change after listening to months of requests from local residents who asked for fairer travel rules.
Right now, eligible bus pass holders in Hull can ride the bus for free all day, every day. But in the East Riding, pass holders currently have to wait until 9.30am on weekdays. That morning restriction made it difficult for older residents to catch early hospital appointments, get to volunteer work, care for relatives or simply get on with their day.
Mayor Luke Campbell asked transport teams to fix the problem without taking away Hull’s existing perks. The combined authority will now fund the extra morning hours across the East Riding so both areas share the exact same rules.
For many older and disabled residents, the change is about much more than saving money – it is about independence. Earlier access means people can travel without relying on others for a lift.
Officials say the new system will also make travelling across the region much easier to understand. It is the first major step in a bigger plan to improve buses, make ticketing simpler and better connect towns, villages and the coast.
Local councils and bus companies will spend the coming months sorting out the operational details, and clear information will be shared with pass holders before the new rules go live next April.
Mr Campbell said: “I’ve heard this again and again from residents since I became mayor, particularly from residents in the East Riding who couldn’t understand why they had to wait until half nine when somebody a few miles away in Hull could use their pass earlier.
“I understood the frustration. A council boundary shouldn’t be getting in the way.
“When I asked the team to sort it, I was clear that we weren’t going to make Hull worse off to make things look fairer. Hull keeps what it has, and from April we’re bringing the East Riding up to the same enhanced hours.
“It might not sound like the biggest decision in the world, but for the people who rely on their bus pass, it really matters. We’re one region now and people should start to feel the benefit of that.”