The government has had to answer a petition that's pushing for a change in free bus pass eligibility in England, calling to lower the qualifying age from 66 to 60 like in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

The petition's growing popularity has surged online, having collected over 10,000 signatures which necessitates a governmental response.

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Officials from the Department for Transport have highlighted the hefty £700m annual bill for maintaining off-peak travel benefits for those over 66 in England. Responding to the call for fairness, the supporters of the petition assert: "We call on the Government to extend free bus........

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