DISABLED people in Newton Abbot will soon be free from a ruling that stopped them from using their bus passes to get to work.

The town’s Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley MP 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 Lib Dem MP Tom Gordon.

Disabled pass holders currently cannot travel free before 9.30am on weekdays, a rule that has made it harder to get to work, to college, to hospital appointments and to drop children at school. Under the change, passes will be valid at any time of day.

Martin Wrigley, the Liberal Democrat MP for Newton Abbot, voted for the change in September 2025 and has campaigned for it locally.

Mr Wrigley said: “Disabilities don’t start at 9am, and now neither do disabled bus passes so this is a huge win for disabled people.

“Liberal Democrats have pushed for this for almost two years, in Parliament and locally, and I’m delighted it has finally been won. It shouldn’t have taken this long, but what matters now is that disabled people can get on the bus whenever they need to.”

“I am still backing a campaign spearheaded by Dawlish district councillor Alison Foden, calling for fair fares for Dawlish residents.

“Under Stagecoach South West’s ticketing zones, Dawlish is not included within the Exeter ticket zone while Dawlish Warren is. So 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’re asking people to support the campaign asking Stagecoach South West to look again at their ticketing zones to ensure fairness for all residents.”