motability car verus bus pass

Tally-Ho_2

Speaking as someone who works for a local authority within the department dealing with concessionary travel (and also a disabled person myself) it is quite a contentious issue as to who qualifies and who doesn't for the Concessionary Bus Pass on disability grounds.

Officially all Local Authorities in England (which is where I presume the OP is) have to issue the Concessionary Pass to those who fall within the 'disabled' classification as listed within the Transport Act 2000. However, it is the 'proof' required to show that a person does/doesn't fall within the Act that is often the bone of contention.

Although guidance was issued by the Department for Transport in 2008 as to what proof it reccomends Local Authorities should accept in assessing eligibility:

see 'Assessing Eligibility - starts para 17 of

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses/concessionary/informationlocalauthorities/guidancedisabled/ancetolocalauthoritieson3561.pdf

This was only reccomendations and allowed Local Authorities/PTE's some leeway in assessling eligibility and how they did this.

Some such as Merseyside require all applicants to be assessed regardless of what benefits were claimed for example. Others accepted certain levels of DLA Mobility and/or care, War Pensions, Incapacity Benefit etc.

This has led to the current 'Post Code Lottery' of it depends which Local Authority or Passenger Transport Executive you come under as to whether or not you will qualify for a Pass.

However things may begin to change come April 2011.Firstly there are the retirement age changes (set nationally - nothing local authorities can do about that). Also it is expected that newer guidance will be issued, to for example take into account the 2008 Government Command Paper Commitment to extend the Concessionary Bus Pass Scheme to include severely disabled servicemen/women and veterans (who fall within the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme) to equalify it with those veterans who receive War Pensioners Mobility Supplement under the older War Pension Scheme.

However one thing is certain, there is no extra funding, so it maybe Local Authorities tighten up on eligibility and some who currently receive a Concessionary Pass may no longer in the future. I won't name the authority I work for, but for example we formerley issued concessionary passes to those who received the low rate mobility component of DLA, as of April this year we will no longer be in a position to do this, so some people will be disappointed. However do check with your own local authority/PTE as to their own eligibility post April 2011.

Tally

victorias_dad

I have a question for richie from the Boro who seems to know about these things, my wife has just got a mobility car the advance payment for the model she wanted was £695 I admit some models have no advance payment. The car is on a 3 year lease at £49.85 per week (plus any small increases that the goverment give her) so if my maths are correct that makes the cost £8471.60. Where would she have got one of those free cars you mention.
Whilst the only cost she has to worry about is the fuel we all know that the majority of the cost of the fuel is tax so doesn't that make her a tax payer also.

TOBRUK

I understand that councils have their own rules however I really don't think that should be a difference - if you receive DLA mobility and if you have a car it shouldn't make any difference regarding getting a BUS PASS!

I receive High rate DLA mobility - do have a car (not motability) and although I could get a bus pass if I wished have not applied for one.

Whether you have a car or not it shouldn't matter - you should qualify the same way as someone who doesn't have a car!

I have an adapted car and do drive - but only within 10 miles of my home on average AND ONLY if I am well enough to do so - my condition varies on a daily basis!

If I wanted to go somewhere and wasn't up to driving there, why shouldn't I go on a bus?!

Saying this I have never applied for a bus pass BUT I should have the choice and opportunity to do so the same as anyone else who doesn't own or lease a car!

I think this is an issue that should be discussed with your MP or AM (if you are in Wales) if you are treated differently!

michelle67

hi all i went to see about getting a bus pass but i opted for the travel tokens instead as this would be loads easier if and when i need them

TOBRUK

michelle67 wrote: »

hi all i went to see about getting a bus pass but i opted for the travel tokens instead as this would be loads easier if and when i need them

What are 'travel tokens'??

michelle67

they r tokens which i can use to pay for or part pay for taxis over the next coming year

starchild1972

I think they were something like my late father had years ago where you get 20p tokens and you use them to cover bus fares BUT you can usually only use them with one bus company. Most places stopped these when the national bus pass came in.

My thinking is, say you get DLA and have a motobility car. Now you are not allowed to drive (like me) and your driver is, for some reason unable to take you anywhere (unwell, car in for service and instead of 7 seater they have given you a ford fiesta). You have an appointment (no hospital car out this way as too far from hospital, dial a ride won't go out of local council area, hospital in different council area bl00dy red tape!) What then? 30 mile each way taxi and charge it to the NHS? Poop can't as not getting JSA or IS/ESA.
Not that a bus pass is ANY use where we are because we don't have buses (although I do have a pass!)we can use anyway. (Bit useless, low floor bus but no pavement so wheelchair cannot get onto bus! Buses go low but not THAT low...Devon piggin' County Council..duh!)

a "national" bus pass should have national rules with no deviation!

jetta_wales

starchild1972 wrote: »

I think they were something like my late father had years ago where you get 20p tokens and you use them to cover bus fares BUT you can usually only use them with one bus company. Most places stopped these when the national bus pass came in.

My thinking is, say you get DLA and have a motobility car. Now you are not allowed to drive (like me) and your driver is, for some reason unable to take you anywhere (unwell, car in for service and instead of 7 seater they have given you a ford fiesta). You have an appointment (no hospital car out this way as too far from hospital, dial a ride won't go out of local council area, hospital in different council area bl00dy red tape!) What then? 30 mile each way taxi and charge it to the NHS? Poop can't as not getting JSA or IS/ESA.
Not that a bus pass is ANY use where we are because we don't have buses (although I do have a pass!)we can use anyway. (Bit useless, low floor bus but no pavement so wheelchair cannot get onto bus! Buses go low but not THAT low...Devon piggin' County Council..duh!)

a "national" bus pass should have national rules with no deviation!

Don't all low floor buses have ramps? All the ones here do but I didn't notice them till I saw it used once for a wheelchair user. It's just a section of the floor in the entrance to the bus and it lifts up and folds over, out and down to make a ramp at the press of a button. Nifty and uncombersom too as it just folds back over to be part of the floor again then. If they don't all have them then they really should.

starchild1972

No, some are lowered electrically and actually you will find that some companies (not our local one but some of the bigger ones) do not allow their drivers out of the cab for security reasons (DH used to drive buses for company that ended with coach). For some you still need a kerb or similar, they just don't go down to touch the road. Also ramps have to have a certain incline and be a certain length for that incline, in this rural area there just would not be the space for those type of ramps.

Lou76

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

No of course not, elderly people [ non DLA ] with cars don't get a free car / free car tax / free repairs / free tyres / free disabled bays / free crossing toll bridges / free congestion charging / free parking meters / etc from the taxpayers of the UK.

Neither do people who opt for a mobility car either, they relinquish their HRM payments (about £50 a week?) in return for their "free" car.

£7800 for the lease of a "free" car, for 3 years, seems a bit expensive to me. :eek: