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Disabled Person's Bus Pass

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Titch89

I'm, surprised they didn't do this. I got mine a few days before April.

It would be too expensive, I would have thought. But yes, losing something in the post is always a possibility. If they were going to be arsey about not replacing lost passes they should have ensured they actually arrived.

Hand delivered them?

Reply 41

CopperPlate

Hi, I'm looking for information, as my friend looks like she will be having to surrender her driving licence due to a seizure, and apparently she can get a free disabled persons bus pass? Do you apply to the council where you (or your parents) live, or where you study? I'm new to all this. Thanks.

Reply 42

River85

Original post by CopperPlate

Yes, your friend will apply through her local council (and, if the area has one, transport executive). Contact the relevant local authority and I'm sure they'll put you in the right direction.

It can be done either where she studies or her parents' address as, now that the free travel has been extended nationwide, the bus pass can be used at her university city or her parents' city. This didn't used to be the case when concessionary travel was local authority or county only so she would've needed to make a choice or apply for a pass in both.

However, the free travel is, for most local authorities, for off peak travel only (usually post 9AM or so on a week day). Some do provide all day travel for all bus pass holders, but not all. It depends on funding.

If your friend needs to travel before this time on a week day she will need an all day pass. All day passes are usually provided by most local authorities if the applicant is working or studying for a certain number of hours a week.

For this reason, it's best she applies for the bus pass in the local authority where she needs to travel during peak hours.

Say for example she's from Newcastle but is studying in Sheffield. She applies for a bus pass through Newcastle City Council then she will be able to travel before 9AM across Newcastle/Tyne and Wear. However, she won't be able to travel before 9AM in Sheffield/South Yorkshire. This can be a problem if she only lives in Newcastle during the holidays, and needs the bus pass to travel to university in Sheffield before 9AM.

As mentioned, if the bus pass is only for use after 9AM or so then it shouldn't matter which local authority it is from. It will probably only matter for peak time travel.

I would recommend, then, that she applies for a pass in the area where she studies and spends most of the year. She can apply for a bus pass at both address' if she wants, but this would be added paperwork.

When applying for a pass one of the things she'll probably need is either a letter from her GP stating that she is unfit to drive, or a letter from the DVLA stating that her driving licence has been surrendered. The letter from the GP might carry a charge but a DVLA letter won't.

I hope that makes sense. It's a bit early :tongue:

Reply 43

CopperPlate

Thank-you

You'd think that would be a "disabled transport FAQ" but I couldn't find it anywhere else!

Reply 44

Tiger Rag

If (I have no idea about passes in Sheffield or Newcastle) the pass includes train, metro, etc. it can only be used in the city it was issued. For example, I studied in London for a year. When I eventually got my pass, (they claimed I wasn't entitled - I have automatic entitlement due to being on the partially sighted register) I could only use it for trains in London.

Reply 45

fairy spangles

In newcastle you have to apply to be assessed by the council to apply to fill in the application form by nexus. Confused me way to much.
You have to pay in most places before 9.30am. At home i get free travel anytime. But in newcastle you can get a metro pass for £25 for the year. Oh and disabled rail card is great, its saved me a fortune.

Reply 46

River85

Original post by OU Student

Yeah, again it depends in funding. As different areas get different amounts of funding depending on population and usage.

Across Tyne and Wear, the local authorities and NEXUS (the transport executive) have a separate pass that gives unlimited travel on the Tyne and Wear Metro, local train services, and Tyne ferry. However, this pass costs a nominal amount (something like £10 a year now).

Other authorities aren't able to include local train/metro/services at all. Some, a very small minority, include local train services and don't charge an additional fee.

The only thing the scheme has in common (across England, at least) is free off peak travel on buses.

Reply 47

River85

Original post by fairy spangles

In newcastle you have to apply to be assessed by the council to apply to fill in the application form by nexus. Confused me way to much.

I was just using Newcastle as an example, as I know how the process works in Tyne and Wear (or worked when I applied), I don't know if the person in question studies or is from Tyne and Wear.

What do you mean by being assessed by the council?

When I applied in 2005 I was told I needed to fill in the NEXUS application form and get a NEXUS "confirmation of eligibility form" signed by social services at my council (Gateshead).

When I went to social services with my form they insisted I needed to be "assessed" by social services (by that, they meant a physical assessment). I told them they were wrong. Most people do need to be assessed by social services, but not people with epilepsy/who have been refused driving licences on medical grounds, as they DVLA have done the assessment for them. How can a person with epilepsy have a physical assessment? After about 40 minutes of arguing it turned out I was correct, they signed my form, and I left.

The whole process was confusing, they just didn't have a clue what's going on. Was it similar for you and has it changed?

I haven't checked NEXUS' website in a couple of years since I raged at them for having a poor site, misleading (or even no) information, and not having application forms online. They've made some of my suggested changes and I've been meaning to check back and see if they've made any further changes.

You have to pay in most places before 9.30am. At home i get free travel anytime. But in newcastle you can get a metro pass for £25 for the year. Oh and disabled rail card is great, its saved me a fortune.

Is it £25 a year now? Crikey. I remember in its first year it was only a fiver. I knew it had gone up in price two or three times since then.

Reply 48

CopperPlate

Thanks, I think her college is in Surrey/Outer London, if they could add a freebie on her Oyster card it would be great :smile:

Will get her to ring the council there. Someone told me Student support dept could be helpful too.

(Gosh, do they have lectures before 10, that's so terrible! :wink:

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