The government has addressed a petition that calls for the age at which people in England can get a free bus pass to be lowered to 60, matching the entitlements in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Currently, the qualifying age in England is set at 66.

The petition has gathered momentum, crossing the 10,000-signature threshold, which obliges the government to issue a response.

Should the free bus pass age be dropped to 60 in England? Have your say in our comments section

In its response, the Department for Transport highlighted the significant £700 million yearly expense of subsidising off-peak travel for over-66s in England. The petition points out the disparity with other parts of the UK, demanding: "We call on the Government to........

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