Disabled persons bus pass

[daisyduck1976]

Hi all,

My boyfriend is disabled (registered blind) and is entitled to free bus travel with the correct pass, from what I understand. So, he lives in Wales and has a pass issued by his local area which entitles both him and me to free bus travel. Great because I don't drive, so we have to use public transport together. When he visits me in England, his pass isn't valid. So I have googled around and found that disabled people are entitled to free bus travel in England too, however, he isn't resident here and so has to pay. I don't expect my travel to be free, as his companion, but it seems ridiculous that he has to pay in England.

I know it probably has to do with the devolved government etc, but if it's free travel for disabled people in Wales and England, then why can't an English disabled person travel for free in Wales and a disabled Welsh person travel free in England?!!

Is it the same for OAPs and their free travel? or have I missed a trick here?

[andypandy]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...port/DG_068407

This may help

[Lighttouch]

Yes the system is stupid! I had a girlfriend who lived in Edinburgh. Her Scottish pass wasn't valid for free travel on buses or the tram. Still she used to chance it and not pay as the guards didn'tchallenge her.

I used accessible kneeling buses in Edinburgh and was never asked to pay.

I did make a complaint about the ludicrous system to my local transport authority and was told that there were plans in join all the cards together so you could travel throughout the UK with one card. No doubt after the government's 'spending review' that decision will have been put on the back burner!

[daisyduck1976]

Yes that direct gov info basically says that you can travel for free if you live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland but it's tough luck if you are disabled and then visit one of those countries from one of the other countries. Ridiculous.

Luckily for us- because it's visually quite obvious that he is blind, when he came to visit, all the bus drivers let him on for free. They did keep asking me where my pass was so that I could travel free as his companion. I just said that I didn't have it and I paid as normal. Interestingly though, in Wales, on the occasions that he has forgotten to bring his pass out with him, they have charged both of us for travel! Not so lenient there!

Oh well- until they make it a UK wide scheme, as lighttouch mentions, we'll go on as we are!

[Talpa]

I do hope it doesn't break community guidelines to suggest this, as I do work for the organisation in question, but if you'd like to get things changed (and it sounds to me like this is a simple matter that really might just need a few people campaigning, in the lightest sense of that word) ... well, our website http://FixMyTransport.com is built exactly for issues like this.

It lets you contact transport providers directly, and perhaps more importantly, you can then create a page and encourage others to sign up in support. I think it'd be ideal for this particular case. Hope that's helpful!

[susanl]

Its because of what they call devolved government. By the same reasoning people in Wales and Scotland get free prescriptions and those in Scotland get free social care and no tuition fees. Seems mad to me!

[daisyduck1976]

Thanks Talpa, I'll take a look

[Jaytee]

It varies depending on what part of the UK you live in. In Northern Ireland its' a half fare bus pass , not free and it cannot be used in the rest of the united Kingdom.

[sea queen]

My friend has a disabled bus pass and it cost her nothing, I also have a free bus pass as i am over 60 and past retiring age. Neither can be used until after 9.30am though. I have heard that they are being stopped in our area, but don't know any details on this.

[daisyduck1976]

I contacted the department for transport to ask about a UK wide system and they replied. They explained that they were keen to have a UK wide system but that the devolved governments in Scotland and Wales weren't interested since the economy took a dive. They said as soon as Scotland and Wales took an interest, they would like to roll it out, but that they
weren't hopeful that it would happen any time soon. So there we are.

As it is, the bus drivers where I am in England have never asked my fiancee to pay. It's clear to see that he is blind and they have never asked for a pass. I ask for the ticket and they only ever charge me. In Cardiff, where he lives, however, if he forgets his pass or can't find it quickly enough, they charge him. They are super strict about it!