April '08 is coming and so is..............

Legacy_user

I recently sent an email to our local County Council, asking if they would confirm the FREE bus/coach travel which is due to start in April '08, and they have. They say those eligable will be able to travel from one end of the country to the other FREE. It seems unbelievable.

dzug

I thought it was just bus travel, not coach, but ICBW.

And travelling on local bus services from one end of the country to the other would be a feat of endurance.

If I have a spare moment I might try and work out a journey to see how many days it would take. Not far short of a week I would guess.

System

Surely, National Express travel frequently from one end to the other? and yes, there are bound to be stops, but it's my bet that if you traveled with such as Wallace Arnold or and of the other companies, there would be loads of "comfort stops".

Crabman

National Express probably won't be free under the scheme, though over 60's get half price fares which make is fairly good value. The best part is you don't need to prove you're over 60

isasmurf

The Bill to put this into legislation is still going through parliament - until it completes its passage through parliament it is not confirmed. The Bill will allow for free off-peak local bus travel in England.

You may find this FAQ helpful.

15. What is the definition of a 'local' bus?

The intention is for the new concession to entitle pass holders to free travel on any off-peak local bus service in England. This will be self-evident in most cases, but may include some tour buses and the element of any coach service that is registered as a local bus service. If in doubt, pass holders can check with their operator or local authority.

16. What about other coach travel?

Scheduled coach services are not included (where they are not also registered as local services) but the Government's existing, separate scheme for concessionary half-fares on scheduled coach services introduced in May 2003 will continue. It is up to coach operators to decide whether or not to take part in this scheme, but National Express, Berry's and Baker Dolphin participate.

Pass holders can find out more by contacting their local authority.