west sussex concessionary travel scheme

• My Bus Pass

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You must be a resident of west sussex county council to use this system..

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If applying for a New pass:

• You must be able to upload a passport-style photo.
• If you are applying for this as an Older Person you must have been born on or before 17/06/1958 and must be able to upload documentary proof of both your age and residence.
• If applying for a Disabled Person’s pass you must be able to upload documentary proof of residence and disability.

If applying for a Renewal pass you will be able to upload a new passport-style photo if you wish, but this will be mandatory if you were under 18 when your previous pass was issued. Upload of proof of residence and/or disability documentation may still be required, even for Renewals, and so you must be able to do this if requested. Note to Renew online today the expiry date of your existing pass must be no later than 15/07/2024.

If applying for a Replacement for a lost/damaged card, for which there is a charge of £11.00, then you must be able (when requested to do so by email) to pay the replacement fee by secure online card transaction.

With all applications you must be able to supply an email address for communication re acceptance of, or problems with, your submitted application. You will also need to enter a password to enable you later to Log In (if/when requested) to supply an alternative photo, for example, or different documentation proving eligibility or to make payment for a replacement card.

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Benefits and Entitlements

If you're 60 or over or you have a disability, you might be eligible for public transport concessions – from discounts on your rail journeys to a free bus pass.

What transport concessions are available?

Can i get a free bus pass, can i get a discount on train travel, can i get a london freedom pass, what if i have difficulty using public transport, what if i'm unable to use public transport, more travel concessions questions.

There are several national public transport concessions available to older and disabled people. Some entitle you to discounts on your fares, while others allow you to travel for free.

Eligibility for these concessions depends on whether you have a disability or your age. 

Depending on your age and your circumstances, you might be able to get one of the following free bus passes, which allow you to travel free on local buses:

• an older person's bus pass
• a disabled person's bus pass

What age do I have to be to get an older person's bus pass?

You can get an older person's bus pass when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66 for both women and men.

Apply for your older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

If you're 60 or over and live in London, then you can get free travel on buses, trains and other modes of transport in and around London with a 60+ London Oyster photocard.

Apply for your 60+ London Oyster photocard on the TFL website

How can I get a disabled person's bus pass?

There's no central provider of the disabled person's bus pass – to find out if you're eligible and how to apply, you need to get in touch with your local council.

Find your local council and apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Are there any other discounts if I'm an older person or I'm disabled?

It's a good idea to contact individual transport operators to see if they offer discounts.

For instance, National Express offers Coachcards. These are discount cards for older or disabled customers. You buy them for a set fee of £15.00 and they get you a third off the cost of your travel across the year.

Find out more and order a Coachcard on the National Express website

Depending on your age and circumstances, you might be entitled to one of the below railcards:

• a Senior Railcard
• a Disabled Person's Railcard

Both railcards are discount cards. You buy them for a set fee to last either 1 or 3 years and they get you a third off the cost of your train travel.

Can I get a Senior Railcard?

The Senior Railcard is available for anyone aged 60 or over to buy.

You can apply on the Senior Railcard website using a valid passport or UK driving licence as ID. Or, you can apply in person at most staffed railway stations.

Find out more about the Senior Railcard and apply online

Can I get a Disabled Person's Railcard?

The Disabled Person's Railcard is available to you if you meet one of the following criteria:

• you're registered as deaf or use a hearing aid
• you're registered as having a visual impairment
• you have epilepsy
• you receive a disability-related benefit, such as  Personal Independence Payment
• you receive War or Service Disablement pension
• you receive Attendance Allowance
• you receive Severe Disablement Allowance
• you receive War Pensioner's mobility supplement

Find out more about the Disabled Person's Railcard and apply online

Freedom Passes give London residents free travel in the city – including National Rail services, the Underground, buses, river services and trams – and free local bus journeys nationally.

If you live in London, you can apply for a Freedom Pass if one of the following applies to you:

• you've reached State Pension age
• you have a disability.

Find out more about Freedom Passes and apply on the London Councils website

National Rail has an interactive tool called Stations Made Easy, designed to help people find their way around stations and find more accessible routes, avoiding potential difficulties like stairs. This may be helpful if you have difficulty using public transport because of your health. 

Find out more and use the tool on the National Rail website

If you're disabled, you can't use public transport, or you don't have access to a car, you might also be able to use a community transport scheme – such as a social car, dial-a-ride, or taxicard scheme.

Shopmobility schemes help people shop in town centres by lending out wheelchairs and scooters. Some local councils also offer concessions on local public transport.

To find out what's available in your area, you can contact your local council or your local Age UK.

Find your local council on GOV.UK

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No, you can't use a free bus pass on National Express buses. To get senior concessions on National Express you need to buy a senior coachcard, which costs £15 a year.

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Yes, your bus pass will give you free travel on buses across England, including London. However, there may be specific rules about when you can travel for free, so check your local council's free bus pass guidance before travelling.

Find your local council's older person's bus pass guidance on GOV.UK

Want more information?

Apply for an older person's bus pass on GOV.UK

Apply for a disabled person's bus pass on GOV.UK

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Last updated: Apr 09 2024

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Concessionary (Cheaper) Travel

West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex offers a range of cheaper travel options for the disabled and those of state pension age.

Who can apply?

Permanent members of Mid-Sussex who:

• Are of state pension age
• Are sight impaired
• Are profoundly or severely deaf
• Are without speech
• Have a long-term walking disability or injury
• Are without the use of both arms
• Have a significant learning disability
• Would be refused a driving licence on medical grounds under   section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 – physical fitness

Apply for a free bus pass

Older peoples bus pass.

Apply online:   Older persons free bus pass application form – West Sussex County Council

Disabled persons free bus pass

Apply online:  Disabled persons free bus pass application form – West Sussex County Council

Or contact the West Sussex Bus Pass office:

Tel:  0330-222-6222 Email:  [email protected] FAQs:   West Sussex County Council – bus travel FAQs

More information:   Bus operators and fares

Apply for a senior railcard

A senior railcard gives you a third off rail travel. Eligible residents of Mid Sussex can obtain this card for a discounted price of £24. See ‘Concessionary fares – issuing offices’ below for details.

Apply online:   The Senior railcard website

Apply for a disabled persons railcard

Get a third off rail fares for you and a friend. Mid Sussex also offers   a further discounted price of £18   for eligible residents of Mid-Sussex. See ‘Concessionary fares – issuing offices’ below for details.

Apply online:   The Disabled railcard website

Concessionary fares – issuing offices

To apply for a discounted annual senior or disabled persons railcard please contact your local office. You must bring proof of age or disability and proof of address.

What happens if I lose my railcard?

Please write to:

Rail Travel Made Easy Disabled Persons Railcard PO Box 6613 Arbroath DD11 9AN

Ask for a replacement and enclose a cheque or postal order for £5.00 made payable to Disabled Persons Railcard. If the card was stolen – add the Crime Number given to you by the police – and request a replacement.

More information

• National Rail Enquiries – information for disabled passengers
• Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee ‘Door to Door’: a travel guide for disabled people

Taxi vouchers

Mid Sussex District Council offers £30 of taxi vouchers per year to residents unable to use public transport. The vouchers can be used to ‘pay’ for up to 50% of your taxi journey.

Please note:  The number of books available is limited. We cannot guarantee availability.

How do I apply for taxi vouchers?

Tel: 01444 477212 Email:   [email protected] Download and print:  Taxi voucher application form

A ‘n’ B Cars East Grinstead Tel:   01342-317887

A to Z Taxi Travel Haywards Heath Tel:   07720-449074

Border Cars East Grinstead Tel:   01342-458487

Five Star Taxis Hassocks Tel:   01273-846666

Hello Taxis Haywards Heath Tel:   01444-414840 Can take disabled passengers seated in their wheelchairs

Hurst and Hassocks Cars Burgess Hill Tel:   01444-253328

John Willards Taxi Service Haywards Heath Tel:   07801-589235

Kens Taxi Haywards Heath Tel:   07703-581888

Michael Peace Haywards Heath Tel:   07801-413173

Road Runners East Grinstead Tel:   01342-410634

Road Runners Haywards Heath Tel:    01444-443300 Can take disabled passengers seated in their wheelchairs

Southdown Cars Ltd East Grinstead Tel:   01342-317400

Station Taxis Haywards Heath Tel:   01444-410410

Western Cars UK Ltd East Grinstead Tel:   01342-300000

These services are only available to people with disabilities and their companions. Journeys need to be booked in advance.

Egfleet Tel:   01342-305275 Open Mon to Fri:   10am to 12pm – noon Operates in East Grinstead and the surrounding area. East Grinstead CVS Can take disabled passengers seated in their wheelchairs

Bluebird Community Transport  Tel:   01444-471919 Open Mon to Fri:   10am-11.30am Operates in and around Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, Ardingly, Lindfield and Cuckfield. Bluebird Community Transport Can take disabled passengers seated in their wheelchairs

No.   You can have either  a bus pass  or  use taxi vouchers. You cannot have both.

Yes. But only if you have  not used any  of the vouchers issued to you.

No replacement books can be issued. This is due to lack of availability.

Community transport

For more information please visit  Community and Rural Transport  on the West Sussex County Council website.

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West Sussex County Council provides a free older person’s bus pass or a discounted senior railcard.

The form to apply for either an older person’s bus pass or railcard can be obtained from the West Sussex County Council website  or can be collected from the library or Town Council Offices at East Court.

Senior Railcard

West Sussex County Council provides a one-year Senior Railcard which can save you a third off standard and first-class off-peak rail fares across Britain

To qualify for a West Sussex County Council senior railcard you must:

• Be a permanent East Grinstead resident and pay part of your council tax to WSCC.
• Have reached the State Pension age.
• Mid Sussex District Council offer their residents over and above West Sussex County Council’s concessionary travel scheme, annual Senior Railcards can be purchased for a discounted price of £24.
• A unique promotion code can be obtained from the library or Town Council Offices at East Court with proof of address and age.
• The railcard can only be purchased online senior-railcard.co.uk  or by phone 08448 714036 with the unique code.

What you need to provide when you apply

Carefully read the guidance notes and complete the application form.

This should be posted with your photocopied validation documents to: West Sussex Bus Pass, PO Box 212, Waterlooville, PO7 6ZN.

Your application MUST include:

• the completed application form
• one photocopy of a proof of age document
• one photocopy of a proof of address document

Do NOT send original documents.

West Sussex County Council provides a five-year Bus Pass offering free off-peak (weekdays 9:30am to 11:00pm and all day at weekends and on bank holidays) bus travel in England for those who are eligible.

Bus passes for older people, providing free bus travel for West Sussex residents of State Pension age.

Your pass is valid for up to 5 years. The expiry date is printed on the front of your pass. Expired passes are replaced free of charge and will be issued automatically.

West Sussex County Council does not charge for a stolen pass, if you provide a crime reference number.

This replacement cost for lost, damaged passes or those without a crime reference number is £5.00

Contact the West Sussex Bus Pass Information Line on 0845 075 1018.

• one passport style/sized colour photograph of your head and shoulders with your name printed on the reverse

Disabled Persons Bus & Railcard

West Sussex provides a bus pass offering free bus travel to people who are disabled, incapacitated or medically unfit to drive.

The form to apply for either a disabled person’s bus pass or railcard can be obtained from the West Sussex County Council web site or can be collected from the library or Town Council Offices at East Court

Mid Sussex District Council is pleased to inform their residents that over and above the West Sussex County Council’s concessionary travel scheme, Mid Sussex District Council sell a yearly Disabled Railcard Voucher at a reduced charge of £18.00. A unique promotion code can be obtained from the library or the Town Council offices at East Court with proof of age and address.

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English National Concessionary Travel Scheme

The scheme offers free off peak travel to eligible older people on local buses. Eligible disabled people may travel free at any time within West Sussex. As an alternative to the bus pass, West Sussex currently offers either a senior or disabled person’s railcard that offers a third off off-peak rail travel.

West Sussex Bus Pass,

PO Box 212,

Waterlooville,

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Public Transport Concessions: Free Bus Pass, Senior Railcard and More

Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Eva Taylor-Jones

Customer Care Expert

Last Updated: 23/04/2024

Older adults in the UK are eligible for a variety of public transport concessions, helping save you money in the process. These include a Senior Railcard, a Disabled Persons Railcard, an Older Person’s Bus Pass and more!

Here, we’ve looked at how to get each of these discounts or freebies for older adults, along with other discounted forms of public transport you may be eligible for.

We also have an article dedicated to discounts for carers .

Where would you like to live?

Browse the best retirement homes near you through Lottie.

In this article:

• Discounts on rail travel
• Free bus pass
• Senior rail travel and bus discounts throughout the UK

London Freedom Pass

60+ london oyster photocard, discounts on rail travel.

You could be eligible for one of the following railcards that’ll get you discounts on train services, depending on your age, relationship and whether you’re classed as having a disability:

• Senior Railcard (60 years and over)

Disabled Persons Railcard

• Two Together Railcard

Both of these are discount cards. You purchase them each year for a set fee and they get you a third off the cost of your train travel.

Senior Railcard

The Senior Railcard is available for anyone aged 60 and over to buy. This costs just £30 (or £70 for three years), so will have effectively paid for itself after only a few train trips.

When using the Senior Railcard, you can expect to make average annual savings of £76, or £5.34 per journey. For example, a train from London to Liverpool goes down from around £68.60 to £45.25, while a train from Doncaster to London goes down from £32.50 to £21.45.

You can apply for one of these through the Senior Railcard website . You’ll need a valid passport or UK driving licence for ID. You can also apply in person at some of the UK’s most staffed railway stations.

If you meet any of the following criteria, you could be eligible for a Disabled Persons Railcard:

• You receive a disability-related benefit, such as Personal Independence Payment , Attendance Allowance or Severe Disablement Allowance
• You’re registered as deaf or you use a hearing aid
• You’re registered as having a visual impairment
• You have epilepsy

To apply for this railcard or to get more information surrounding eligibility criteria, visit the Disabled Person’s Railcard website .

Senior Railcard For Couples

Though there’s no railcard specifically aimed at older couples, the Two Together Railcard works in the same way for people of all ages. This railcard is to be used by you and a second person - both of you will be named on the railcard. They’re best used by yourself and the person you travel with most - often your partner or spouse.

When using a Two Together Railcard, you get one-third off rail fares when travelling together. It costs just £30 and leads to average savings of £153 per year (or £6.26 per journey).

For example, travelling from London to Edinburgh would typically cost around £145, but this goes down to £95.70 with a Two Together Railcard. Similarly, getting the train from York to London goes down from £88 to £58.

Apply for the Two Together Railcard through the official Railcard website .

Free Bus Pass For Over 60s

You could be eligible for one of the following free bus passes, depending on your age and whether you’re classed as having a disability:

• An older person’s bus pass
• A disabled person’s bus pass

Both of these passes will get you free travel on local buses.

It might also be worth getting in touch with individual transport operators to see if they offer any discounts. For example, National Express offer Coachcards to older (60+) or disabled customers. These cost £12.50 a year and save you a third on your travel.

Older person’s bus pass

You’ll become eligible for an older person’s bus pass when you reach the State Pension age.

Apply for your bus pass through the GOV.UK website .

Disabled person’s bus pass

Unlike an older person’s bus pass, there’s no central provider for the disabled person’s bus pass.

To find out if you’re eligible and where to apply, get in touch with your local council . All you need to do is enter your postcode and you’ll be redirected to the relevant part of your local council’s website.

We can help you find the perfect UK retirement home . Use our free service to filter by location, price, the facilities available, purchase type and more!

Senior Rail Travel and Bus Discounts Throughout the UK

English national concessionary travel scheme.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) covers senior travel discounts in England. Passes are issued locally, but give cardholders free bus travel throughout all of England. An ENCTS bus pass also allows for some free and discounted rail tickets. You must be 66 years or older to be eligible.

Learn more about or apply for an English National Concessionary Travel Pass

c2c Senior Rover Travel

c2c’s Senior Rover ticket allows unlimited one-day train travel for just £7 (or £10 when including London destinations). These are available to anyone aged 65 years and over.

Learn more about or buy a Senior Rover ticket

Greater Manchester Senior Travel Pass

Older adults can get free rail tickets in Greater Manchester between 09:30 and midnight Monday to Friday, and anytime at weekends and during public holidays. Eligibility is based on age and residency in Greater Manchester.

Check if you’re eligible and apply for a Greater Manchester Senior Travel Pass

Merseyside Senior Travel Pass

Senior citizens can get free rail tickets in Merseyside after 09:30 Monday to Friday (to avoid morning peak times), and anytime at weekends and during public holidays. Eligibility is based on age and residency in Merseyside.

Check if you’re eligible and apply for a Merseyside Senior Travel Pass

South Yorkshire Senior Travel Pass

Older adults get 50% off rail fares in South Yorkshire between 09:30 and 23:00 Monday to Friday, and anytime at weekends and during public holidays. Eligibility is based on age and residency in South Yorkshire.

Check if you’re eligible and apply for a South Yorkshire Senior Travel Pass

Tyne and Wear Senior Travel Pass

Older adults in Tyne and Wear can purchase reduced-price train tickets as well as extra discounts if they get a Metro Gold Card (£12 per year). Eligibility is based on age and residency in Tyne and Wear.

Check if you’re eligible and apply for a Tyne and Wear Senior Travel Pass

West Midlands Senior Travel Pass

Older adults get free train travel in the West Midlands between 09:30 and 23:00 Monday to Friday, and anytime at weekends and during public holidays. Eligibility is based on age and residency in the West Midlands.

Check if you’re eligible and apply for a West Midlands Senior Travel Pass

West Yorkshire Senior Travel Pass

Older adults get 50% off rail journeys within West Yorkshire after 09:30 Monday to Friday, and anytime at weekends and during public holidays. Eligibility is based on age and residency in West Yorkshire.

Check if you’re eligible for a West Yorkshire Senior Travel Pass

Scotrail Club 50

Members get a 20% discount on Off-Peak and Advance and cheaper flat-fare tickets when purchased online. These offers are available all year round to Scotrail customers aged 50 and over. Scotrail Club 50 is perfect for people who aren’t yet eligible for a Senior Railcard.

Get a Scotrail Club 50 membership

National Entitlement Card (NEC)

The National Entitlement Card (NEC) allows older adults in Scotland to receive travel discounts. Anyone living in Scotland can access discounted travel schemes throughout the country. To be eligible, you must also be 60 years or over.

Get a Scottish 60+ National Entitlement Card

Edinburgh and Glasgow over 60s rail discounts

Scotland’s two largest cities offer the following rail travel discounts:

• Glasgow - Discounted rail tickets on journeys within Strathclyde and Glasgow Subway
• Edinburgh - Free tram journeys in Edinburgh

There are also reduced train fares for 60+ NEC holders in other parts of Scotland.

Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

In Wales, travel discounts for older adults are covered by the Welsh Government Concessionary Travel Scheme. This offers free bus travel throughout Wales to people aged 60 and over, as well as some free and discounted rail tickets.

Apply for a Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

The following free and discounted rail travel is available to Welsh Concessionary Travel Scheme holders:

• Cardiff and Valleys Line
• Conwy Valley Line
• Wrexham to Hawarden Bridge
• Cambrian Coast
• Heart of Wales Line

Learn more about discounted senior travel in Wales

Northern Ireland

60 plus smartpass.

You’re eligible if aged between 60 and 64 while being a permanent Northern Ireland resident. A 60 Plus SmartPass entitles you to free bus and rail travel throughout the country.

Apply for a 60 Plus SmartPass

Senior SmartPass

This is aimed at permanent Northern Ireland residents over 65. They entitle you to free bus and rail travel throughout the country, along with free cross-border rail travel all along the Belfast to Dublin line.

Apply for a Senior SmartPass

London Freedom Passes allow London residents to travel around the city for free, including on trams, National Rail services, the Underground, river services and buses, as well as free local bus journeys nationally.

If you live in London, you can apply for a Freedom Pass if one of the following applies to you:

• You’ve reached the State Pension age (in this case, you’ll be eligible for an Older Person’s Freedom Pass)
• You have a disability (in this case, you’ll be eligible for a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass)

You can travel for free on TfL (Transport for London) services with an Older Person’s Freedom Pass from 09:00 on weekdays and anytime on weekends and bank holidays. A Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass allows you to travel at any time on TfL services.

To learn more about the London Freedom Pass or to apply for it, visit the London Councils Freedom Pass webpage .

Apply for an Older Person’s Freedom Pass

Apply for a Disabled Person’s Freedom Pass

If you’re over 60 but under the State Pension age and you live in any London borough, you can get a special Oyster card for free travel in the city on several different rail services.

Many people get a 60+ London Oyster Photocard before they’re entitled to a Freedom Pass. If you’re eligible for a Freedom Pass, you can’t get a 60+ London Oyster Photocard.

This costs £20 and gives free travel on:

• The London Overground
• TfL (Transport for London) Rail

As well as all London Overground and TfL Rail services, you can also use the 60+ London Oyster Photocard on certain National Rail services on the following lines:

• Chiltern Railways
• Great Northern
• Greater Anglia
• Southeastern

You can learn more about the 60+ London Oyster Photocard and make an application through their webpage on Transport for London .

We’re on a mission to support individuals and their loved ones throughout each stage of their later living journey. For more information, check out everything Lottie has to offer.

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• Local transport
• Travel passes and concessions
• Managing the England national concessionary travel scheme
• Department for Transport

Guidance for travel concession authorities on the England national concessionary travel scheme

Published 21 December 2010

Applies to England

© Crown copyright 2010

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-travel-concession-authorities-on-the-england-national-concessionary-travel-scheme/guidance-for-travel-concession-authorities-on-the-england-national-concessionary-travel-scheme

December 2010

Introduction

1/ A mandatory bus concession for older and disabled people has been in place since 2001. The scheme has gradually been extended since its introduction and since April 2008 has provided free off-peak local bus travel to eligible older and disabled people anywhere in England.

2/ The scheme is enshrined in primary legislation through the ‘ Greater London authority act 1999 ’ and the ‘ Transport act 2000 (as modified by the ‘ Concessionary bus travel act 2007 ).

3/ Concessionary travel is administered locally by travel concession authorities (TCAs). Until 31 March 2011 the following local authorities are classed as TCAs: Shire District Councils, Unitary Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives and London Boroughs. Following a consultation in 2009, an order under section 9 of the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 was approved by Parliament in March 2010, which shifts responsibility for administering concessionary travel schemes from lower tier local authorities to upper tier local authorities. Consequently from 1 April 2011 the following authorities will be TCAs: County Councils, Unitary Authorities, Passenger Transport Executives and London Boroughs.

4/ In addition to the mandatory bus concession TCAs are also able to make use of powers provided by the ‘Greater London authority act 1999’ and the ‘ Transport act 1985 ’ to offer discretionary concessionary travel schemes.

5/ This guidance note is designed to assist TCAs in administering the England national concessionary travel scheme ( ENCTS ). Section 1 of the guidance provides details of the key information that all TCAs need to know about in administering the ENCTS and provides links to other guidance documents issued by the Department for Transport ( DfT ) in relation to the scheme. Section 2 focuses on the shift in responsibility for administering the scheme from lower tier local authorities to upper tier local authorities and provides advice on how to handle a number of specific transitional issues.

6/ This guidance applies only to England. Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area, and legislation and assessment of eligibility with regard to concessionary travel in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the appropriate devolved administration.

Administration of the England national concessionary travel scheme

Eligibility, eligible people, older people.

1.1 There are 2 broad categories of people eligible for a statutory concession: men and women who have attained the state pension age for women and eligible disabled people (where no age limits apply).

1.2 Previously the eligible age for concessionary travel was 60 years of age. However, since 6 April 2010, the age of eligibility for concessionary travel in England has been tied to the pensionable age for women. So, as the pensionable age for women gradually increases from 60 to 65 so too will the age of eligibility for concessionary travel increase for both men and women.

1.3 The age of eligibility for concessionary travel is therefore:

• for women = pensionable age
• for men = pensionable age of a woman born on the same day

1.4 It was announced in the Spending Review 2010 that the government plans to speed up the alignment of the pension age so that the pensionable age for women will now reach 65 by 2018 instead of 2020 as previously planned. Furthermore the pensionable age for both men and women will now rise to 66 by 2020. The age of eligibility for concessionary travel will increase in line with these and any other future changes to the pensionable age for women.

1.5 DfT has published guidance on the change in the age of eligibility for concessionary travel .

Disabled people

1.6 There are 7 categories of disabled people who are entitled to the statutory minimum concession and these are set out in section 146 of the Transport Act 2000 and section 240(5) of the Greater London authority act (in relation to London).

1.7 An eligible disabled person is someone who:

• is blind or partially sighted
• is profoundly or severely deaf
• is without speech
• has a disability, or has suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to walk
• does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms
• has a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
• would, if he or she applied for the grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have his/her application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol

1.8 DfT has produced guidance to local authorities on assessing eligibility of disabled people (PDF, 75.6KB)

Eligible services

1.9 The ENCTS applies on eligible local bus services as defined by the ‘ Travel concessions (eligible services) order 2002 as amended by the ‘ Travel concessions (eligible services) (amendment) order 2009 ’.

1.10 The 2009 amendment order explicitly excludes the following types of services from the mandatory concession, these are:

• services on which the majority of seats can be reserved in advance of travel (such as coaches)
• services that are intended to run for a period of less than 6 consecutive weeks
• services operated primarily for the purposes of tourism or because of the historical interest of the vehicle
• bus substitution (rail replacement) services
• services where the fare charged by the operator has a special amenity element

1.11 The changes introduced by the 2009 amendment order explicitly exclude certain types of service that are outside of the spirit of the mandatory national concession, thus reducing the potential for any confusion over whether a service is eligible. Local authorities remain able to offer concessionary travel on any service affected by the changes on a discretionary basis.

1.12 Further information about the changes introduced by the 2009 amendment order is available.

Geographical coverage

1.13 The ‘Concessionary bus travel act 2007’ entitles eligible people who are resident in England to travel on any eligible service within England.

1.14 TCAs are required by law to reimburse bus operators for carrying concessionary passengers. In respect of the mandatory concession, TCAs must reimburse bus operators for all concessionary journeys starting within their boundaries, regardless of where the concessionary passholder making the journey is resident.

1.15 TCAs that border Wales or Scotland can use their existing powers to offer travel across the border on a discretionary basis based on their assessment of local need and their overall financial priorities. Given the change in administrative responsibilities in England, any previously agreed cross-border discretionary concessionary travel schemes with lower-tier local authorities in England will need to be re-agreed between the relevant upper tier local authority in England and the relevant Welsh or Scottish authority. When making cross-border arrangements, TCAs should also be mindful of the differing ages of eligibility. that now exist in the different countries.

1.16 The national bus concession in England is available at any time on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday, and from 9.30am to 11pm on any other day. TCAs are able to offer concessionary travel outside these hours on a discretionary basis.

1.17 The concessionary travel arrangements for older and disabled people in London are different from those in the rest of England. The statutory minimum concession in London is set out in the GLA act 1999 . In London, the statutory minimum hours at which the travel concession must be provided are at any time at weekends and bank holidays and from midnight to 4.30am and the period from 9.30am to midnight on any other day.

1.18 The ‘Concessionary bus travel act 2007’ specifies that TCAs must issue a travel concession permit to an eligible person whose sole or principal residence is in the authority’s area.

1.19 Concessionary travel legislation makes no reference to nationality but to “residents”. Foreign nationals living in England who have met the residency requirements of the ‘Concessionary bus travel act 2007’ would be eligible. A foreign national visitor on a short stay visa or visiting England for business or holiday is not a resident.

1.20 The concession in England is not available to those whose principal residence is overseas (or in Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Northern Ireland), whether or not the person holds a British passport.

1.21 Eligible persons who reside in more than one residence in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland should apply for a travel concession permit only with the TCA that they reside in most of the time.

1.22 Good practice would indicate that a signed declaration from an applicant is one way to assist fair application of the ‘sole or principle residence criteria’. If you are a TCA that does not currently collect such a declaration, you may wish to consider including it in future application forms.

ENCTS passes

1.23 The travel concession permit for the ENCTS is to be issued free of charge. The legislation does not require the applicant to be fully indemnified for the cost of providing his/her photograph - nor for any signed medical certification, or any postage on his or her application.

1.24 Bus operators must grant the statutory minimum concession to eligible persons. The purpose of imposing on the authority a duty to issue ENCTS passes is to enable concessionaires to provide evidence to bus operators of their entitlement.

1.25 There is no provision in the legislation about safe keeping and it is the department’s view (which it is stressed is only a view) that it is the ENCTS pass holder’s responsibility to look after that evidence. This suggests that the obligation to issue an ENCTS pass free of charge would be limited to the first pass only. However, if a person applies for a replacement it is doubtful whether the authority would have the right to refuse to issue one without good reason or to charge more than a sum representing roughly the cost of producing it.

1.26 It is DfT ’s view that nothing in the legislation would prevent an authority from refusing to issue a replacement ENCTS pass to a person whom it had good reason to believe is engaged in fraud. As a matter of good practice in preventing fraud, the department strongly recommends that any pass issued in replacement for one which has been lost or stolen should generally be issued using the same photograph as the original pass. Each TCA is strongly encouraged to maintain a database of persons to whom ENCTS passes have been issued, including a digitised photograph of each recipient.

1.27 The use of the ENCTS pass is subject to the conditions of carriage of the individual Operator on whose vehicle the journey is being made.

Specification

1.28 When the ENCTS was introduced in 2008 a new England-wide ENCTS pass design was introduced so that bus drivers throughout England could recognise at a glance that an ENCTS pass holder was eligible for free travel.

1.29 The ‘ Concessionary bus travel (permits)(England) regulations 2008 ’ set out the specification of the England-wide ENCTS passes. TCAs are responsible for producing passes that comply with the standard design as specified in the regulations for their concessionaires.

1.30 The regulations set out the position and format of the standard elements of the ENCTS pass - the holder’s photograph, their name, the expiry date, the hologram, the unique identifying number, the ITSO logo, the rose logo, and the ribbon background. They also require ENCTS passes to be ITSO smartcards. This means that, where bus companies have installed ITSO smart readers on their buses, the passes will be read electronically. Where buses don’t have ITSO readers, the passes will simply be shown to the driver.

1.31 The ENCTS pass features an expiry date which must be no more than 5 years from the date of issue. Whilst the maximum life of a pass is 5 years from the date of issue, there is no recommended minimum life.

1.32 The ENCTS pass has a hologram, which acts as a security feature and a deterrent to fraud and counterfeiting. The hologram is supplied by the DfT to ensure that every hologram is identical. The hologram comprises the rose logo and ribbon design as follows:

ENCTS pass image

1.33 There are 2 different ENCTS pass designs, depending on whether the holder is eligible as a disabled person or as an older person. A blue strip down the right hand side shows that the pass has been issued to an older person; an orange strip shows that the pass has been issued to someone with an eligible disability.

1.34 The top right hand corner of the ENCTS pass is for local customisation. It must feature, as a minimum, either the logo or the name of the issuing TCA (or both) so that bus drivers can recognise who has issued the pass.

1.35 TCAs are free to add other additional symbols, logos or words if they wish. For example, as TCAs are able to offer additional benefits above the statutory minimum concession to their residents, they may wish to use this area to identify whether an ENCTS pass holder is eligible for any additional local benefits (e.g. companion travel or travel before 9.30am).

Data collection

1.36 The department suggests that the following minimum data should be collected and stored for each ENCTS pass holder:

• name of pass holder
• address of pass holder
• an expiry date for the pass
• a photograph
• entitlement type (age or disability related)
• a unique reference number
• ITSO shell reference number (ISRN)

1.37 Authorities might also want to consider, subject to their own legal advice, collecting the national insurance number of the pass holder in order to assist future national fraud initiative ( NFI ) exercises that are carried out by the Audit Commission . The NFI is a matching exercise in comparing all of the concessionary travel data in the UK with the national death register in an attempt to find members of the public who are participating in fraud. The Audit Commission does not require additional work to be carried out to collect this information; however authorities may decide locally to collect it in order to further improve the quality of NFI matches. There is however no statutory requirement for an applicant of an ENCTS pass to divulge their national insurance number to a TCA .

1.38 More information on the NFI is available.

1.39 The department also recommends that the TCA ’s arrangement with the general registrar is such that they have access to deaths information to maintain their ENCTS passes database. This information could also be complimented by the NFI and/or DWP ’s optional Tell Us Once initiative , which is still in the pilot stages, with national roll-out due in March 2011.

1.40 The National Fraud Authority (part of the Attorney General’s Office ) is currently looking at ways of enhancing access to deaths data for local authorities and councils for the purpose of fraud prevention.

1.41 All TCAs should satisfy themselves that all data on individuals is collected and further processed in accordance with the requirements of the ‘ Data protection act 1998 ’ and that they have the requisite powers to request, keep and share any information.

1.42 DfT has published guidance for TCAs on ENCTS pass issuing requirements .

Discretionary arrangements

1.43 In addition to the mandatory bus concession, TCAs are also able to offer discretionary concessionary travel schemes, i.e. schemes which go beyond the statutory minimum in one or more respects. This does not necessarily require a separate scheme to be created; a scheme which offers benefits which include but are more generous than the statutory minimum will at the same time fulfil any obligation to ensure that the statutory minimum is provided.

1.44 The proposed arrangements for discretionary concessionary travel schemes should be published by the TCA at least 28 days before the scheme commences (additional time may need to be allowed if a Participation Notice is likely to be required). It should be clear to operators from the published details what concessions they will be required to offer and the timing and amount of reimbursement that they can expect to receive to cover their revenue forgone and any additional costs incurred.

1.45 TCAs have the flexibility to offer local enhancements just to their residents in the area covered by their scheme, and its vicinity (as now). If they wish (and at their own cost) they may offer discretionary benefits within the area of their scheme to all eligible persons from England on the production of their ENCTS pass.

1.46 Enhancements could include, for example:

• free travel before 9.30am
• a 50% (or other) discount before 9.30am
• free travel for any person travelling as the companion of a disabled person
• free, or reduced-rate, travel on other modes of transport

1.47 Enhanced benefits can be given to all residents who are eligible for the national concession, or to subgroups (such as blind people). They can be given within a scheme area or sub-scheme area and, at the authority’s discretion, on crossboundary journeys, and journeys in the vicinity of the scheme area.

1.48 Authorities can only give an ENCTS pass to people who meet the criteria set out in the legislation for the statutory minimum concession. They can offer local benefits to people who do not qualify for an ENCTS pass but these local benefits should be offered through a pass that uses a design that is clearly different from the ENCTS pass.

1.49 The department recommends that local authorities seek their own legal advice when creating, withdrawing or amending such polices. With reference to the Local Government Ombudsman report of 24th September 2009, we recommend that local authorities should also be mindful of the impact that any changes to the concessions on offer may have on their residents and other stakeholders and keep them appropriately informed during the process. Authorities should also ensure that they comply with their own disability equality schemes.

1.50 The government ombudsman report of 24th September 2009 found a number of TCAs guilty of ‘maladministration causing injustice’ when they removed some of the discretionary elements of their concessionary travel schemes.

1.51 The full report is available .

Schemes offered as an alternative to the statutory minimum concession

1.52 A TCA may provide an alternative scheme under s.93 of the 1985 Act whereby a person eligible for the statutory minimum concession may agree with the authority concerned to give up that entitlement for a period and to accept instead an alternative concession offered by that authority, such as travel tokens. The person concerned can opt for the alternative even if it would generally be of lower value than the statutory minimum bus concession.

1.53 In cases where authorities envisage offering a scheme (such as a token scheme) as an alternative to the statutory minimum, rather than in addition to it, they will need to ensure that the information provided about the alternative scheme makes clear to those participating in it that they do so on the basis that they have accepted it as an alternative to their rights to the statutory minimum (the national bus concession) and not as an addition to those rights.

1.54 It should be noted that authorities are not under an obligation to offer an alternative scheme; nor are their residents able to require them to offer it. It should also be noted that even where a TCA does offer an alternative to the national bus concession to their own residents, they are still obliged to reimburse bus operators for all concessionaires using the ENCTS pass (including nonresidents) for journeys starting in their area.

1.55 Central government provides funding to TCAs for the ENCTS . From April 2011, all central government funding for the concessionary travel scheme will be provided through formula grant, which is administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government ( DCLG ). Formula grant is a non-ringfenced, unhypothecated block grant which gives local authorities the freedom and flexibility they want in their use of funding.

1.56 This approach supersedes the funding mechanism where the government provided funding for concessionary travel through two channels: formula grant from DCLG and special grant from DfT . Special grant funding has been rolled into formula grant so that funding now comes from one source.

1.57 From July 2010 to October 2010, DCLG held a consultation on the distribution of formula grant from April 2011 onwards. Given the changes in administrative responsibility for concessionary travel from April 2011, the consultation included proposals for how to remove concessionary travel from the formula grant received by lower tier local authorities and then how to transfer it to the formula grant received by upper tier local authorities.

1.58 Details about the chosen options for taking forward the financial implications of the concessionary travel administrative changes and about future local authority funding allocations are available on the DCLG website .

Reimbursement

1.59 TCAs are required by law to reimburse bus operators for carrying concessionary passengers, on the principle that the operators are “no better off and no worse off” by taking part in concessionary travel schemes. The aim is not to subsidise bus operators, but to pay for any increased costs that they have incurred.

1.60 Reimbursement of bus operators is divided into two elements: revenue forgone and net additional costs. Revenue forgone is the reimbursement of fares that operators would have received from concessionary journeys that would have been made in the absence of a scheme. The average fare forgone is generally not the same as the quoted commercial cash fare but should be calculated as an average of all ticket types that would have been available to concessionaires in the absence of the scheme.

1.61 The proportion of observed concessionary journeys that are made purely because of the concession are referred to as ‘generated journeys’. The only extra funding requirement associated with generated journeys should be the net additional costs that bus operators incur from these additional journeys. These are namely wear and tear on buses and possible costs from changes in service frequency or density. In very exceptional cases, net additional costs will include the costs to operators of buying an extra vehicle to cater for generated journeys.

1.62 Calculating concessionary travel reimbursement is predicated on determining what would have happened in the absence of the concessionary scheme and requires TCAs to estimate the following components of reimbursement:

• the fares that operators would have offered and concessionary travellers
• paid in the absence of the concession
• the proportion of total observed concessionary journeys that would have been made in the absence of the concession
• any net additional costs that operators have incurred as a result of the concession

1.63 DfT provides guidance to local authorities and bus operators on how to calculate appropriate reimbursement. The latest version of this guidance is available.

1.64 In the event of a disagreement between an operator and TCA as to the reimbursement arrangements offered by the TCA , there is a mechanism provided under sections 98(2) and 99(2) of the 1985 Act and section 150(3) of the 2000 Act, by which the operator can apply to the Secretary of State for Transport for cancellation, variation or modification of the arrangements.

1.65 The right of an operator to apply to the Secretary of State for modification of the proposed reimbursement arrangements offered by a TCA is an important safeguard. This application process is often referred to as the ‘appeal process’.

1.66 Applications should only be submitted after proper consideration and after attempts to reach a resolution at the local level have been exhausted. The time limit for making an appeal is 56 days from the commencement or variation of a scheme.

1.67 The Secretary of State appoints independent decision makers to determine the applications on his behalf, in line with the provisions of section 100(5) of the 1985 Act and section 150(6)(b) of the 2000 Act.

1.68 DfT has produced guidance on the appeals process .

Communications

1.69 TCAs are responsible for ensuring that people who are eligible to claim concessionary travel are able to do so.

1.70 TCAs should inform eligible people of:

• what they are entitled to
• how they can obtain a ENCTS pass
• how they can check their eligibility
• what services they can use their pass on
• how they can obtain further information

Sharing best practice

1.71 The concessionary travel online community ( CTOC ) is a forum for those involved in delivering concessionary travel (including local authorities and bus operators) to share best practice, ideas and practical tips. You can sign up at http://www.communities.idea.gov.uk/c/844620/home.do

Further Information

1.72 If you cannot find the information you need within this guidance or on the DfT website, the concessionary travel team can be contacted at the following email address: [email protected] .

Change in administrative responsibility - transitional issues

Note: The following guidance notes on transitional issues reflect the views of the Department for Transport. It is ultimately up to the courts to determine whether authorities comply with the requirements of the law and therefore we would also advise authorities to take their own legal advice.

ENCTS Pass Issues

Itso and isl, definition of terms.

2.1 ITSO specification is the UK technical specification for interoperable smart ticketing. Concessionary Bus Travel (Permits)(England) Regulations 2008 (SI No 417, 2008) requires that all ENCTS passes must be issued in compliance with ITSO.

2.2 ITSO Limited is an organisation that supports, facilitates and enables the delivery of smart, integrated and interoperable ticketing across Great Britain.

2.3 ITSO services limited ( ISL ) is a separate company that has been set up by DfT and ITSO which provides certain services for “non-smart” English TCAs.

2.4 Host operator or processing system ( HOPS ) is the element of the back office system defined within the ITSO Specification to cover message handling, ITSO shell and product accounting and asset management functions.

2.5 TCAs that are “smart” retain an ITSO Licence and mange their own ITSO smart ticketing infrastructure. TCAs which are “non-smart” remain under contract with ISL .

Transitional Issues

2.6 New “non-smart” TCAs should contact ISL to sign new contracts (known as an ‘annex A agreement’), in order to supersede existing contracts held by their constituent Districts no longer responsible for concessionary travel from 1 April 2011. Authorities who no longer retain TCA responsibilities after 31 March 2011 will be required to notify ISL of their intention to terminate the existing contract.

2.7 See the ISL Guidance Note (Re-organisation of Concessionary Travel Administration) for more information at http://www.itsoservices.org.uk/page167/Documents-And-Links

Card production contracts

2.8 Districts and the corresponding County are encouraged to talk with each other to discuss the contracts with suppliers that already exist so that the upper-tier authority can make informed decisions about contracts going forward.

2.9 Any lower-tier authority that no longer intends to produce ENCTS passes from 1 April 2011 should terminate or transfer their contract with their supplier in accordance with the terms of their agreement.

2.10 Any upper-tier authority who intends to produce ENCTS passes from 1 April 2011 should ensure that contracts are in place with a supplier in good time to be able to carry out their concessionary travel responsibilities from this date. Authorities may wish to transfer-in an existing contract or multiple contracts or chose new suppliers. Authorities should do this within the scope of EU regulations and their own procurement rules.

OIDs and CPICCs .

2.11 An OID (operator ID) Number is issued by ITSO for unique identification of a participant within the ITSO environment. For the purposes of ENCTS , OIDs are utilised to identify concessionary travel schemes.

2.12 CPICCs (concessionary pass issuing cost centre) denote the TCA responsible for administering the scheme.

2.13 Authorities who are responsible for concessionary travel for the first time from 1 April 2011 should contact ISL (tel. 0121 634 2758, email [email protected]) as soon as possible to discuss OIDs and CPICCs compositions within their schemes.

Issuing of ENCTS passes

2.14 County councils cannot issue ENCTS passes until 1st April 2011. Passes issued by any TCA before this date are valid for travel until their expiry date. As a minimum, each ENCTS pass must show the name/logo of the issuing authority. The maximum expiry date that can be set is five years. This means that for up to 5 years, residents of the same local authority could hold travel passes that look different but offer the same discretionary concessions - some residents will hold passes issued (prior to 1st April 2011) by the district authority and some will hold passes issued (after 1st April 2011) by the county council. TCAs should notify bus operators of the different pass designs in issue in their area and therefore which passes are valid for the different discretionary concessions that may be on offer.

2.15 If, from 1st April 2011, county councils are removing discretionary concessions that used to be offered previously by the districts then they should write to individual pass holders if they hold passes which contain logos/symbols that may lead the holder to believe they are still entitled to certain discretionary concessions. For example, ENCTS passes with C+ symbols on them to denote the presence of a discretionary companion scheme.

Discretionary concessions

Use of well-being powers by district councils wishing to continue to provide discretionary travel concessions from April 2011.

2.16 The well-being powers are contained in section 2 of the Local Government act 2000-

“2 Promotion of well-being

(1) Every local authority are to have power to do anything which they consider is likely to achieve any one or more of the following objects:

(a) the promotion or improvement of the economic well-being of their area

(b) the promotion or improvement of the social well-being of their area

(c) the promotion or improvement of the environmental well-being of their area

(2) The power under subsection (1) may be exercised in relation to or for the benefit of:

(a) the whole or any part of a local authority’s area, or

(b) all or any persons resident or present in a local authority’s area.

(3) In determining whether or how to exercise the power under subsection (1), a local authority [in England] must have regard to their strategy under section 4.

(4) The power under subsection (1) includes power for a local authority to:

(a) incur expenditure

(b) give financial assistance to any person

(c) enter into arrangements or agreements with any person

(d) co-operate with, or facilitate or co-ordinate the activities of, any person

(e) exercise on behalf of any person any functions of that person

(f) provide staff, goods, services or accommodation to any person.

(5) The power under subsection (1) includes a power for a local authority to do anything in relation to, or for the benefit of, any person or area situated outside their area if they consider that it is likely to achieve any one or more of the objects in that subsection.

(6) Nothing in subsection (4) or (5) affects the generality of the power under subsection (1).”

2.17 Section 3 of the LG Act 2000 places limits on the well-being powers. For example, the power under section 2(1) does not enable a local authority to do anything which they are unable to do by virtue of any prohibition, restriction or limitation on their powers which is contained in any enactment (whenever passed or made). So applying this principle to concessionary travel, from April 2011 a district council may not use its well-being powers to reverse the effect of the ‘Concessionary bus travel act 2007 (variation of reimbursement and other administrative arrangements) order 2010’ which changes the responsibility for administration of concessionary travel schemes under the ‘Transport act 2000’ and the ‘Transport act 1985’. Therefore any future discretionary schemes by district councils would not count as schemes under the ‘Transport act 1985’ and the provisions under that act would not apply.

2.18 The well-being powers do appear however to be sufficient to allow a district council to establish a separate scheme offering travel concessions. Such a scheme would have certain important legal differences. For example, criminal sanctions would not apply in the event of failures of a bus service operator to provide a concession and the Secretary of State would not be obliged to resolve a dispute between the district council and a bus service operator regarding the proposed reimbursement arrangements. However, the district council could still enforce agreements with bus service operators as a contract in the county court.

Ability of county councils to offer district level concessions.

2.19 Although responsibility for discretionary enhancements is changing, it is not the intention of the change in responsibility to impact on the additional entitlements offered. County councils will be able to take into account the differing needs of their individual residents in determining which discretionary concessions to offer.

2.20 The order which shifts responsibility for administering concessionary travel (both the statutory scheme and discretionary enhancements) from lower tier local authorities to upper tier local authorities does not preclude:

• upper tier authorities from maintaining or introducing district or local level discretions, for example where there are differing needs within differing parts of a county boundary
• district councils from providing funding to county councils to administer discretionary concessions on their behalf
• district councils from considering discretionary travel schemes using the “well-being powers” contained in the ‘Local government act 2000’, subject to advice from their own legal advisors

Ability to offer alternative concessions to the ENCTS pass

2.21 Section 145A(9) of the ‘Transport act 2000’ allows TCAs to enter into an agreement with an entitled concessionaire under which the person surrenders the right to their ENCTS pass for a period in return for travel concessions under a scheme (such as travel tokens or a railcard) under section 93 of the ‘Transport act 1985’.

2.22 It is important to note that Section 145A(9) of the ‘Transport act 2000’ would not apply to a scheme established by a district council under the well-being powers.

2.23 This means that lower tier authorities would no longer be able to finance the issue of, for example, travel tokens for use on taxi journeys by agreeing with older or disabled people that they waive their right to an ENCTS pass. Such an arrangement would need to be established by the upper tier authority.

2.24 District councils wishing to make use of their well-being powers to provide travel tokens may therefore wish to consider restricting the eligible categories of people to which they offer such tokens to ensure that they benefit those most in need. Alternatively district councils could provide funding to their county council to administer a travel token scheme on their behalf. In this circumstance the county council could make use of Section 145A(9) of the Transport Act 2000 to offer the tokens as a substitute for the ENCTS pass. The county council could then take any savings in ENCTS pass costs into account when agreeing the funding arrangement for the token scheme with the district council.

TUPE Implications

2.25 TCAs may need to consider the implications of transfer of undertakings protection of employment ( TUPE ) in the transfer of responsibility for concessionary travel from lower to upper-tier authorities.

2.26 Regulation 3(5) of the domestic ‘ TUPE regulations 2006 ’ says:

(5) An administrative reorganisation of public administrative authorities or the transfer of administrative functions between public administrative authorities is not a relevant transfer.

2.27 We recommend that TCAs take their own legal advice if they have any queries over potential TUPE implications from the transfer of responsibility.

Data handling

2.28 The transfer of concessionary travel data from lower tier local authorities (e.g. districts) to upper tier local authorities (e.g. counties) is necessary to meet the requirements of the ‘Concessionary bus travel act 2007 (variation of reimbursement and other administrative arrangements) order 2010’. The transfer should therefore be compliant with the Data Protection Act ( DPA ), but authorities will want to bear in mind the following.

2.29 Fair processing - DfT sought advice from the Information Commissioner’s Office ( ICO ) on what steps they think local authorities should take to inform individuals that their personal data is being transferred from lower tier authorities to upper tier authorities. The ICO ’s view is that best practice in this case would be for authorities to write to individual ENCTS pass holders to notify them of the change of arrangements – though they added that as the purpose of the processing is not changing, and the data is only moving from one local authority to another, it should be sufficient to place notices in the local press and on websites, as well as covering it in the next communication to ENCTS pass holders. It will be for individual local authorities to decide which approach to take. Further guidance in this area can be found in the ICO privacy notice code of practice .

2.30 Data security - It is important to ensure that the transfer of the data meets appropriate security standards. The ICO framework code of practice for sharing personal information provides guidance on this.

2.31 Data accuracy - exporting authorities will want to make sure that their data is accurate and up to date before transferring it to the new authority. The transfer should not be made earlier than is necessary to ensure a smooth transition in the administrative arrangements. The data protection officer for your local authority should be able to provide further advice on any of these points.

Question and answers

Q: Is transfer of historic reimbursement data / patronage data/ pass holder data allowed under the Data Protection Act ( DPA )?

A: In our view, yes. In terms of the first principle of the DPA , the disclosure is “necessary for the exercise of any functions conferred on any person by or under any enactment”.

Q: Do district councils have to transfer data to counties under the new legislation?

A: There is no reason for them not to. If they do not, they will not be able to continue processing the data themselves because they will have no legal basis for doing so.

Q: What if the district council is reluctant to hand over data before legal responsibility is transferred to the county council?

A: We don’t believe there is anything in the Data Protection Act that would preclude the transfer of the data a reasonable period of time in advance of the law coming into effect, if it was done to ensure a smooth transition. Authorities should bear in mind however that if the data is transferred too far in advance, it is more likely to be out of date by the time they need to start using it. That could mean a further transfer would be necessary to bring the data up to date.

Q: Should either party to the transfer write to the individuals whose data is being transferred to inform them of the change?

A: The ICO ’s view is that best practice in this case would be for authorities to write to individual ENCTS pass holders to notify them of the change of arrangements. Though they did add that as the purpose of the processing is not changing, and the data is only moving from one local authority to another, it should be sufficient to place notices in the local press and on websites, as well as covering it in the next communication to ENCTS pass holders. It will be for individual local authorities to decide which approach to take.

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Concessionary Travel Scheme information for bus operators

• £2 Bus fares until end of 2024 
• Revised Day Rider and Family fares from 29 April 2024

We have a statutory duty to provide a free bus pass for older and disabled people. This is part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Bus operators in East Sussex should read the below information:

East Sussex County Concessionary Travel Scheme [179.6 KB] [pdf]

Concessionary Travel Scheme – Reimbursement [304.5 KB] [pdf]

Please speak to our information centre:

Phone: 0300 33 09 471 (local rate). Lines are open Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm. Email:  Concessionary Travel  (please provide any details like date of birth or address that may help us respond).

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