Free bus travel for the over 60s in England

Tindella_2

Thanks, Dzug - I did hit the "thank you" button!

helenshappyhens

annaangeluk wrote: »

I've been trying to find some info for this but not having alot of luck!

My brother is 18 and autistic. he is in receipt of DLA (not mobility) but I'm not sure at what rate and my mum gets carer's allowance for him.

Would he be entitled to a free bus pass or is it just for people with physical disabilities?

Thanks

Anna x

Hello Anna
I got to your message, sorry if anyone has already answered but thought that you should know that you can get a card for your brother.
Get a form which your council may have online or at say bus station or council office, fill it in and tick ' learning disabilities' box when it asks for reason for requesting card. A letter from his doctor would be required also to confirm.
If a person did have physical disabilities and in receipt of DLA high mobility then ofcourse the 'receipt of DLA' box could be ticked. No letter from your doctor would be required in this instance. I have just done this in Suffolk for my daughter who incidently is not 16 yet and had no problems. If you are in receipt of DLA you need award letter or something to prove receipt and dont need a doctors letter and if over 60 Birth certificate is fine.


Apparently the 'English' rules for the bus pass is from 9.30am until 11.00 pm, I'm lucky and live in Suffolk and we can use our passes 24hours a day If we travel within Suffolk for the extra hours- if only there were that many buses.

donnajunkie

the info from local authorities is appalling. i told a bloke i work with that in our area we get free travel before 9.30am. he didnt even know about it. i do think the information is unclear regarding catching a bus before 9.30am that crosses a boundary. some info gives the impression that people still have to pay from the boundary onwards and other info suggests the whole journey is free so long as it started in your local area.
if you are in the north east check out this leaflet. even if you arent it maybe of interest.
http://www.simplygo.com/images_3/Customer%20Concessionary%20Leaflet%20(3).pdf

i do think the before 9.30am restriction is daft. what about people who go to work? they are still going to be paying a fortune in bus travel. anyway the majority who qualify probably wont be working. all it is doing is annoying people to save money and it wont even be saving that much money because most journeys will be done after 9.30am anyway.

donnajunkie

just to add to that people in the old county of cleveland continue to get free travel before 9.30am within the boroughs of stockton on tees, middlesbrough, hartlepool and redcar. it is debatable whether free cross boundary travel is possible or not before 9.30am because most of the info is unclear. this pdf leaflet seems to give a more positive view.
http://www.simplygo.com/images_3/Customer%20Concessionary%20Leaflet%20(3).pdf

calleyw

As Bertie says fine as long as you have the new pass.

My husband does not. He is disabled. He has been told to carry on using his old one for the time being.

There are various stories going around as to why. My husband was told on thursday they had been posted out that day. He spoke to a neighbour who had been told on monday there was a problem with the printers.

Wish they would all sing from the same hymn. How can they have been posted out last thrusday if they still have not come back from the printers :rotfl:

Yours


Calley

donnajunkie

mine didnt arrive until wednesday. we have been told the old one will remain vaild until the end of april. that doesnt help people who maybe wanting to use a bus elsewhere in the country. i am sorry to hear there are people being messed about even more than i was. why they left it all until the last minute i dont know.

GEMGIRL67

dzug wrote: »

I think the Welsh and Scottish ones are valid all day and on coaches as well as buses - but otherwise no different. But ICBW.

My mum and dad who are pensioners have free buses passes. But they can only be used for travel in Wales - it states that on the Wrexham Council website. As we live in Wrexham, just on the border, they are entitled to travel to Chester on the arriva wales buses because the route starts in Wales and is unbroken.

The Welsh bus passes cannot be used to travel around England or Scotland.

millie

The english ones cannot be used to travel in Wales or Scotland either so I suppose that is fair enough.

crossleydd42

garwatts wrote: »

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

If a bus route starts in England and finishes in Wales/Scotland, you can travel on it. For example, it is possible to get the Stagecoach route 73 bus from Gloucester, through Lydney, then into Wales and Chepstow and Newport. At 1hr 50mins, just hope the old bladder lasts out!

bryanb

crossleydd42 wrote: »

If a bus route starts in England and finishes in Wales/Scotland, you can travel on it. For example, it is possible to get the Stagecoach route 73 bus from Gloucester, through Lydney, then into Wales and Chepstow and Newport. At 1hr 50mins, just hope the old bladder lasts out!

But can you travel back?