Free bus travel for the over 60s in England

jojofrg

crossleydd42 wrote: »

Companions of disabled bus travellers often qualify for the new passes, but this is at the discretion of the local authority as a reply from
the Department of Transport shows:

Here is the reply from Paul O’Hara


“In reply to your question, there is no statutory requirement for companions of disabled travellers to get free off-peak local bus travel. The new Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 does not change this (those entitled remain as described in the Transport Act 1985 and Transport Act 2000, or, for Greater London, the GLA Act 1999).
Local councils may, at their discretion, grant a concessionary bus pass to a companion, but they are not required to”.

And there can be restrictions even when they are issued. For example, within Gloucestershire, travel companions can only travel free within the county.

My husband is registered blind, since going totally blind 5yrs ago, he has been unable to travel alone on public transport, and once he reaches his destination, he needs guided assistance to get where he wants or needs to go, this is even more essential, the further away from home and his familiar routes that he is.
With the old bus pass, a companion could travel free with him anywhere that the pass was valid for, which was anywhere in Kent.
However the letter with his new pass (that didn't arrive until today, 5th April) state's a companion can only travel free with him on the local Sevenoaks area bus services, (which are very limited use to him in any case) so the extra benefit of nationwide travel are in fact useless to him, unless a escort pays for their own fare, or he pays for them to travel with him. This seems grossly unfair!

chalky_bertie

Well, my new disabled pass arrived this morning, great. Opened a second envelope and low and behold another one has arrived aswell. Great keep one for spare, both have my photo on and run out in 2013. I must be lucky though as the 2nd one has also been granted for a "companion" to travel on the same journey for the same price, annotated with a little "+C" in the top right hand corner. :T Me and Mrs Chalky_bertie can now use the bus for nowt.

crossleydd42

Following on from Harryhound's mammoth trip, if you're in London, this is a good way for those folk who hold these bus passes to see the sights:




At Liverpool Street take the Number 11 bus which runs through the City, past the Bank of England, past St Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, The Strand, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall past 10 Downing Street and Horseguards, Westminster past Parliament and the Abbey, then through Victoria, including Westminster Cathedral, close to Buckingham Palace, through Pimlico to the Chelsea Hospital and Physic Garden, Sloane Square, King's Road through World's End and finishes up on Fulham Broadway.

From here, a short interconnect via the Number 28 bus, takes you to Olympia, where you can catch the number 9 bus back into town. That follows Kensington High Street, past Kensigton Palace and Gardens, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge, up Piccadilly, though Piccadilly Circus, to the Strand, where you hop off and onto a number 15 bus to the Tower of London. You can, of course do the route in reverse, or simply start at the Tower instead of Liverpool Street, in which case you take a number 15 Westwards and change for the 11 on the Strand (perhaps popping up to Covent Garden in between buses).

crossleydd42

jojofrg wrote: »

My husband is registered blind, since going totally blind 5yrs ago, he has been unable to travel alone on public transport, and once he reaches his destination, he needs guided assistance to get where he wants or needs to go, this is even more essential, the further away from home and his familiar routes that he is.
With the old bus pass, a companion could travel free with him anywhere that the pass was valid for, which was anywhere in Kent.
However the letter with his new pass (that didn't arrive until today, 5th April) state's a companion can only travel free with him on the local Sevenoaks area bus services, (which are very limited use to him in any case) so the extra benefit of nationwide travel are in fact useless to him, unless a escort pays for their own fare, or he pays for them to travel with him. This seems grossly unfair!

You're right, the system should not be random like it is.

Sliphorn_2

No, you won't be allowed to travel free in Wales and Scotland, but you might be able to travel for free into Wales and Scotland depending on where you live. I live in Bath and can travel to Newport free because the journey 'starts or ends' in the area covered by my pass, but if I then wanted to travel on to Cardiff, I would have to pay.

garwatts wrote: »

So are we allowed free travel in Wales and Scotland as well?

jojofrg

crossleydd42 wrote: »

You're right, the system should not be random like it is.

:mad: It seems to me that the whole sorry system is one big mess! What with the inconsistency of times of use, plus some area's having the added bonus of free train, tram and underground travel.
I feel we should have a uniform consistent policy for all Britain, I for one will try to campaign for this in any way I can. Maybe if we all complained about these irregularities, we just might get some justice? (Well you never know:rolleyes: )

dzug

jojofrg wrote: »

:mad: It seems to me that the whole sorry system is one big mess! What with the inconsistency of times of use, plus some area's having the added bonus of free train, tram and underground travel.
I feel we should have a uniform consistent policy for all Britain, I for one will try to campaign for this in any way I can. Maybe if we all complained about these irregularities, we just might get some justice? (Well you never know:rolleyes: )

Well to put a contrary view, why should some local councils not be allowed to provide extra benefits for their local residents if those residents are willing (by reelecting them) to pay the extra council tax to do so? Isn't that 'justice' as well? Why does everything HAVE to be the same everywhere?

perism00

Transport for London will NOT allow free travel on tube, train or trams to anyone other than London residents, but they WILL allow free travel on buses at the same times as London residents, which are more generous than the national scheme -- if you're a night owl!. Monday to Friday: from 0900 to 0400 the following day; weekends and bank holidays: at any time.

ticketcollector

This has just come through on East Mid Trains.

From 1 April 2008, English National Concessionary Bus Scheme Cards will be introduced. Although these will make off-peak bus travel available across the whole of England to any cardholder, the level and area of discounted rail travel (if available) within each area will still be decided by the local issuing authority.
The following changes will be made to Concessionary Fares Schemes administered by East Midlands Trains from this date.

Charnwood Borough Council
The scheme area, journeys available and discount levels remain unchanged. Holders of the new National Concessionary Bus Cards bearing the Charnwood Borough Council logo at the top right will be eligible to receive discounts with this scheme. Existing Gold cards remain available to use until 30 September 2008.

Derbyshire County Council
The scheme area and journeys available remain unchanged; however there will be no free travel available from 1 April 2008. Any customers travelling with a pass endorsed for free travel will still be eligible for the 50% discount. Holders of the new National Concessionary Bus Cards bearing an Amber Valley, bolsover, Chesterfield, Derby City, Derbyshire Dales, Erewash, High Peak, North East Derbyshire or South Derbyshire Council logo at the top right will be eligible to receive discounts with this scheme. All of these cards will feature Derbyshire Gold and Derbyshire County Council logos on the reverse. Ticket issuing staff are asked to check both sides of the card to ensure the card holder is eligible for a discount. Existing Gold cards remain available to use until 31 May 2008.

Leicestershire County Council
The scheme area and journeys available remain unchanged. The only change to discount levels is that a small
number of disabled people holding an existing pink photo card will be able to travel free rather than at half
fare. Existing scheme card styles remain in use. Holders of the new National Concessionary Bus Cards bearing
a Blaby, Harborough, Hinckley & Bosworth, Leicester City, Melton, North West Leicestershire or Oadby & Wigston
Council logo at the top right will be eligible to receive discounts with this scheme. Some Temporary National
cards (without a photo) will be issued but these must be supported by a Leicester/Leicestershire photo card to
obtain a discount.

Nottinghamshire County Council
The scheme area, journeys available and discount levels remain unchanged. Holders of the new National Concessionary Bus Cards bearing the Nottinghamshire County Council logo at the top centre will be eligible to receive discounts with this scheme.

Rutland County Council
The scheme area, journeys available and discount levels remain unchanged. Holders of the new National Concessionary Bus Cards bearing the Rutland County Council logo at the top right will be eligible to receive discounts with this scheme.

System

Dear Prime Minister

When your Chancellor announced in the Budget two years ago, that in April 2008, anyone over the age of 60 and Registered Disabled would be able to travel free on local bus journeys, he could have added that it might be confusing. Equally he might have said that depending on where you lived, you might not be able to access this free service until after 9.30am.

Clearly with half the country being able to use the service before 9.30am whilst the remainder of the country have to wait around, it might be worth pondering if as an election taster, this could be remedied.

Yours sincerely
islandman