Bus accessibility for disabled people in Hampshire

That this House notes with concern the decision by Hampshire County Council to withdraw discretionary top-up enhancements to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme for disabled residents, including the removal of the Companion Bus Pass and the restriction of free travel to between 9:30am and 11:00pm on weekdays; further notes that Guide Dogs, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, and the Hampshire Sight Loss Council/ Thomas Pocklington Trust, have expressed serious concerns about this decision, which has disproportionately affected the 55,100 visually impaired residents in Hampshire; recognises that these changes have created new barriers for many disabled people, including those who need to travel early in the morning for work, education, or medical appointments; notes that the withdrawal of companion passes has reduced the independence of those who require assistance to travel safely and confidently, placing financial burdens on family and friends who support them, and leading some to travel less or rely on costly taxis; observes that disabled people already face significant challenges in using public transport, including inaccessible infrastructure, insufficient disability awareness training for transport staff, and the lack of real-time journey information in accessible formats; and calls on the Government to exercise oversight to ensure that local authorities maintain concessionary travel schemes which promote mobility and the full participation of disabled people in society.