Using concessionary pass on a 0930 bus? 26 April 2017 at 3:51PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Public Transport & Cycling 8 replies 2.4K views

kuepper

Been told by connect Tees valley i cant use my pass until after 0930 ie i can't catch a 0930 bus to Newcastle I'll have to wait for 1000 bus. What is the actual V
rule/,law?

unforeseen

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/tickets/concessionary/

molerat

https://www.connectteesvalley.com/data/ticketing/concessionary_travel.pdf

carlislelass

For us it's dead on 9.30

Biggles

Here, paying passengers can get on the 09:30 bus any time after he's pulled up but his till doesn't switch over to accept concessionary tickets till the dot of 09:30, then we can all get on.

If it's before the time, it will reject them.

Ignore what they have told you and get on the bus at the last minute; the till should accept your card, that's all that matters.

kuepper

So what is the national rule/law as opposed to someone s interpretation? The first link says it's from 0930 Which implies it includes 0930. The second link clearly says after 0930 which is what their staff told me as to why I couldn't board the 0930 and had to get 1000.

wealdroam

kuepper wrote: »

So what is the national rule/law as opposed to someone s interpretation? The first link says it's from 0930 Which implies it includes 0930. The second link clearly says after 0930 which is what their staff told me as to why I couldn't board the 0930 and had to get 1000.

Section 1 of The Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 tells us:

(1) Any person to whom a current statutory travel concession permit has been issued and who travels on an eligible journey on an eligible service is entitled, on production of the permit, to a concession consisting of a waiver of the fare for the journey by the operator of the service.
(2) In subsection (1) “eligible journey” means a journey on one public service vehicle (in one direction) which—
(a) is between places in England,
(b) begins at a relevant time...

So we need to know what is a "relevant time".

Section 146 of The Transport Act 2000 tells us:

“relevant time” means —
(a) any time on a Saturday or Sunday or on any day which is a bank holiday in England and Wales under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, or
(b) a time during the period from 9.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on any other day

That's the law.

You asked for no interpretation, and that's what I have given you.
However, like all laws, it is open to interpretation.

My interpretation is that 9:30am is a fixed point in time that lasts for no time.
I.e. at one small fraction of a second before 9:30am your bus pass is not valid for free travel, but one small fraction of a second later it becomes valid.

Now, that is the statutory minimum that must be offered.
Bus pass issuing authorities are able to offer more than that minimum, which is why you see different times in those docs linked to earlier.

jackyann

We are known as 'twirlies' because of our common cry 'am I too early to use my pass?'

And yes, different authorities enforce differently, sometimes because of specific bus times.

harz99

After 0930 means from 0930:01 onwards, however if the bus is scheduled to leave at 0930 that means 0930 precisely not 0930:01 hence what Connect told the OP. Best solution would be for the OP to walk to the next stop to board bus thus avoiding any doubt, or take the 1000 journey.

In my area a flat payment of 50p per journey allows use of the concession pass before 0930 M-F.