PEOPLE travelling with a disabled friend will get free travel in a scheme supporting Brighton’s Disability Pride festival.

Companions who board Brighton and Hove Buses with a disabled concessionary card holder will simply have to tell the driver they are travelling together.

The offer applies on Saturday, July 14, when the city will be hosting Disability Pride Brighton festival for the second time.

Martin Harris, managing director at Brighton and Hove Buses, said: “We’re all about making travel by bus accessible for everyone.”

The bus company has also teamed up with Community Transport Brighton and Hove to provide a shuttle service every 15 to 20 minutes from Brighton Station and Churchill Square to the festival on Hove Lawns.

A the number 6 bus, which is more frequent, leaves from Brighton Station (Stop A) and stops at Norfolk Square, a five-minute downhill walk to the venue.

The festival starts at 11.30am with a parade from the i360 to the Peace statue on Hove Lawns.

Mr Harris said: “We’re proud, once again, to support Disability Pride and also to begin a new partnership with Community Transport, who make a real difference to the lives of people in Brighton and Hove.”

Brighton and Hove Buses is behind accessibility initiatives such as the award-winning Helping Hand assistive card, the taxi guarantee scheme and dementia-friendly floors on all new buses.

Community Transport operations manager Lesley Shrieves said it was crucial people with restricted mobility could access the right transport.

She said: “We hope by providing more accessible transport it will mean more people can access Disability Pride.”

Victoria Garcia, accessibility officer at Brighton and Hove Buses, said: “We’re passionate about making sure our buses are accessible to everyone so partnering with Disability Pride was an obvious choice for us.”

Ms Garcia is the only accessibility officer in a bus company in the country and sits on the Disability Pride Brighton committee, which is chaired by festival organiser Jenny Skelton.

Ms Garcia said: “Jenny has done an incredible job again this year organising the event which has brought together community groups, charities and disabled people from across the whole city.

“This year looks set to be even bigger and better than last year.”