Following a recommendation in the recent Lords Rural Economy report that the Government review free bus passes for over-60s, the Daily Mail covers research demonstrating free bus travel equates to a happier life.

University College London found that those in their 60s with access to free bus travel reported greater life satisfaction and fewer symptoms of depression than those who do not. They also reported being more physically active and experiencing less social isolation.

The research, published in the Journal of Transport and Health, looked at surveys of 5,861 people eligible for free bus travel in England. Pass holders, who represented 85 per cent of the sample, were 37 per cent less likely to be sedentary and just over 30 per cent less likely to be classed as socially isolated, the study found.

Bus passes are available to everyone when they reach a certain age, depending on where they live in the UK, at a cost of £1.17 billion annually in England alone.

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→ Daily Mail - Secret to happiness? A free bus pass in your 60s as researchers link fewer symptoms of depression with concessionary travel cards