- Conference
- 2025 National Retired Members Conference
- Date
- 16 June 2025
- Decision
- Carried
This UNISON Retired Members Conference believes that all pensioners across the UK should have a universal right to an equal free bus pass wherever they live, offering the same ability to travel freely within UK, whenever they want.
While bus passes assist pensioners to access services, travel for both pleasure and necessity, and is good for our health and mental wellbeing, it is also enabling travel in a manner consistent with the national green agenda.
This Conference is aware that policies of implementation of current schemes vary across nations with regard to a number of factors. One particular area of concern affects those wishing to access NHS services who live close to the borders of the devolved nations of the UK.
In an effort to reduce waiting list for diagnosis and treatment including operations, patients are often referred to NHS hospitals over national boundaries with the UK. In very rural areas the nearest town or city may be across the border where NHS dental treatment can be obtained. Whilst at present for example, in Wales we can travel by bus free of charge to the next terminus of the bus route within England, however, we cannot then travel without payment, if another bus is required to reach the hospital etc.
This can often deter patients from agreeing to attend for treatment in a particular location. Additionally, they may not wish to agree to a hospital stay in a location that family and friends cannot visit free of charge. Hospital parking is free in Wales but not in England.
In some areas of England free buses can only be accessed at certain restricted times of the day, for instance prior to 9.30am in some areas, causing yet another barrier to attendance at medical appointments. As we are all aware, medical appointments are so scarce and difficult to obtain, a choice of times is not usually available.
This Conference calls upon the National Retired Members Committee to gather evidence and views from all the nations within the UK about the array of different systems operating within the Uk and recommend a scheme of best practice. To enable this to be comprehensive, this Conference suggests that the National Retired Members Committee should invite views from: –
I) The devolved national Retired Members Committees and Branches across the UK
II) National Disabled Members Committee – these issues will also affect them.
III) Seek views from the wider membership via UNISON publications.
Once information has been gathered, this Conference calls upon the National Retired Members Committee to raise this issue: –
a) Via our Labour Link arrangements to the Labour Government of the UK
b) Via our Labour Link arrangements to Labour members of the devolved nations
c) With the TUC and their devolved congresses within the UK.
CYMRU/WALES Region Retired Member Committee