OAP bus passes

itm2

My parents are in their 80s and both need to take regular trips to the hospital. Unfortunately their hospital is in a different borough to where they live, which means that their local bus passes don't cover their journeys - hence they have to pay full fare on the buses.
This situation seems pretty ludicrous and unfair - does anyone know if there is any concession which would allow them free bus transport to their hospital?

sockospice

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

from 1st April, they will be able to travel for free into the other borough too.

itm2

Thanks so much - that's excellent news. My parents will be delighted!

Old_Joe

Some years ago when I had to drive my (adult) daughter to hospital appointments forty miles away, but because she was on sickness benefit she was able to recoup travelling expense from the visited hospital.

It might be worth asking the hospital if this is still applicable??

Hapless_2

sockospice wrote: »

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/PublicTransport/BusAndCoachTravel/DG_10036264

from 1st April, they will be able to travel for free into the other borough too.

Only after 9.30am, so if the appointment means catching a bus at 9.29am, they will have to pay.

roddydogs

Kens changing it to "All Day", dont know when this starts thou

Hapless_2

roddydogs wrote: »

Kens changing it to "All Day", dont know when this starts thou

But the bus companies don't have to accept anyone with a bus pass, especially if they company is not getting the payments from the council.

dzug

Hapless wrote: »

Only after 9.30am, so if the appointment means catching a bus at 9.29am, they will have to pay.

Depends on the area - round here it's free all day.

LittleVoice

The "national" portion has a minimum window of 9.30 am to 11.00 pm Monday to Friday and all day at the weekend and on public holidays.

Local Authorities (who are the bodies which pay for the passes) may offer additional benefits (like tube travel or extended hours, which they have already been able to do) but these are likely to be just for their own residents.

dzug

Hapless wrote: »

But the bus companies don't have to accept anyone with a bus pass, especially if they company is not getting the payments from the council.

The company IS getting payments from the council. That's how the scheme works. Any company that turns the payment down is a fool. OK negotiate on the amount a bit, but they can't afford to turn away business - maybe most of their income off-peak.

And if it's a subsidised service (eg most rural services) then it will have been in the tender documents.

Poppycat

You can also get a free bus pass if you get the higher rate of disability and a companion can go free too. We got a bus pass the other day

This is what my local council say on there web site


This means that all men and women over the age of 60, and disabled people living in the xxxxxx Council area are eligible for a bus pass which allows free travel on all local buses (except between 6am and 9am Monday to Friday) throughout North Yorkshire and York.


A disabled person who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance with the Higher Rate Mobility Component will be entitled to a pass which includes provision for a companion to travel with them free of charge.

HOW TO GET A BUS PASS FOR APRIL 2008

Residents in the xxxxxxxxxx Council area who currently hold a bus pass on disability grounds will be asked to confirm their ongoing entitlement to a Bus Pass. The Council will be writing to each passholder and ensuring that, if eligible, the passholder receives their National Bus Pass in readiness for the start of the new scheme.

Passholders over 60 in the xxxxxxxx Council area do not need to make a new application for a National Bus Pass. Anyone over 60 years of age who already has a valid North Yorkshire Concessionary Fares pass should automatically qualify for a National Pass. The pass itself will be issued to them by post in March 2008, prior to the start of the scheme on 1 April 2008. In some nearby concessionary schemes, passholders are being asked to renew their application often because the scheme area needs to produce a new database of passholders. As this Council already holds a database, passholders who are over 60 years of age do not need to take any action at this time to obtain their National Bus Pass.