Concessionary fares

Allerdale Borough Council would like to remind the borough’s residents qualifying for concessionary travel of the New National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme which was introduced on 1^st April 2008.

From April 2008, if you are aged 60 or over, or have certain disabilities, you are entitled to free off-peak bus travel on local bus services – anywhere in England.

Additionally, Allerdale has decided to extend the scheme to offer its residents free bus travel at anytime, throughout the county of Cumbria and where applicable, companions of disabled cardholders may travel too.

What do residents of Allerdale need to do?

If you are an existing NoWcard holder, your new card should have been issued to you and you need not do anything more.

If you are eligible for a bus pass and have not had one before, you need to:

•  Supply 1 recent passport size photograph (full face / no hat)

You can collect a form from any of our customer service centres or telephone for help: 01900 702702

Further details of the scheme are available from the NoWcard telephone helpline: 0845 058 1096 or you can connect to their web site at: www.nowcard.org

Allerdale will continue to offer alternative concessions. If preferred, eligible residents may choose a rail card or travel tokens where applicable, instead of the national bus pass.

At the start of the new financial year you may choose to change the type of concession you have previously received (where applicable).

E.g. change your bus pass to a railcard.

You will need to hand in your existing card at the time of exchange.

How your travel concessions may be used

• Registered local bus services operated by Stagecoach or other operators will accept national bus pass and tokens.
• Northern Rail will accept rail cards for travel by train and allow up to 1/3 off most fares. In addition, residents may use tokens towards the issue of a rail card or fare.
• Taxis – some taxi firms will accept tokens. Residents should check with the firm before booking.

Distribution of the national bus pass will be directly to applicants through the post.

Replacement cards will be available at a charge of £10.00

Alternative concessions and national bus pass application forms are available for you to collect at our council offices.

When and where you may collect your concessions and application forms

Council offices opening hours:

Any resident who has a problem getting to their local council office can contact Allerdale Borough Council on 01900 702929 for help.

The criteria for entitlement

The normal concession will be either a Bus Pass or a Railcard. Residents as listed in the token information below can choose tokens as an alternative. Only one concession per person is allowed in any year.

Tokens

• Men and Women aged 60 & over who live in the Parishes of:-

Aikton, Bewaldeth & Snittlegarth, Blindbothel, Boltons, Bowness,  Borrowdale, Buttermere, Gilcrux, Holme East Waver, Ireby & Uldale, Kirkbampton, Kirkbride, Lorton, Loweswater, Sebergham, Thursby, Westnewton, Westward, St Johns, Castlerigg & Wythburn 

• Disabled Residents
• Persons who have been refused a driving license on medical grounds
• Persons who were supplied with a letter of entitlement in previous years

Proof of age or disability and proof of residency must always be supplied.

Senior Railcards

• Men and Women aged 60 and over

We cannot issue Railcards to disabled residents. Individuals should be advised to apply directly to their nearest station for details of Disabled Persons railcards

Proof of age and proof of residency must always be supplied.

National Bus Passes

• Issued to Men and Women aged 60 and over
• Disabled Residents.

Proof of age or disability and proof of residency must always be supplied.

Proof of eligibility

This will normally be a letter from the DSS, birth certificate or passport.

Proof of residence should be Council Tax bill or utilities bill (gas, electricity etc.)

Disabled applicants should provide proof of entitlement in the form of allowance payments Books or written documentation from DSS confirming their disability.

Letters of confirmation of eligibility can be supplied on receipt of a letter from an NHS Representative.

Criteria for Disabled applicants:

Sight – Blind or Partially Sighted:

You will need a copy of the ‘BD8’ or ‘CVI’ certification form issued to you by the local Hospital, or your card issued by your local Social Care Team or,

Evidence of your registration as a Blind or Partially Sighted person would be equally acceptable.

Profoundly or Severly Deaf:

You will need a brief letter confirming your condition from a specialist agency or charity providing services for deaf people or,

Confirmation in writing from Social Care Team that you are included on their Deaf Register or,

A letter from an audiology specialist confirming that hearing loss has been recorded at 70 dBHL or worse.

Without Speech:

You will need a brief letter confirming your condition from a specialist agency or charity providing relevant services or,

Confirmation from an independent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner) that you would be unable to make clear basic spoken requests – in any spoken language – such as asking for a particular fare or checking bus routes with the driver.

An inability to speak English or speech, which is excessively slow or distorted due to a heavy accent or a stammer, would not qualify.

Learning Disability:

You will need confirmation in writing from Social Care Team that you are included on their database as a person who receives – or who has in the past received – services for those with a learning disability, for example, you may be attending a Day Centre for persons with a learning disability or,

Confirmation in writing from the local Health Authority (Not your General Practitioner) that you are included on their database as a person who receives – or who has in the past received – services for those with a learning disability or,

A letter from an independent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner), confirming that your learning disability can be defined as being sufficiently severe as to warrant access to services for people with a learning disability provided by the above agencies should you wish to apply to them.

Loss of Arms:

You will need confirmation in writing from an independent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner) that you have lost the use of both arms.

Mobility:

You will need documentary evidence that you are currently in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) mobility component at the Higher Rate would be sufficient evidence or,

Conformation that you receive the War Pensioners mobility supplement would be equally acceptable or,

A valid "Blue Badge" or,

A letter from an independent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner) confirming that your condition has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk would be accepted as confirmation of your condition.

Driving:

You will need a letter from the DVLA refusing to accept your application for a driving licence because you are not deemed by them to be physically fit to drive or,

Confirmation from an indepentent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner) that you suffer from epilepsy, that you have had an attack during the past year and that one or more of your attack(s) have occurred other than when you were asleep or,

Confirmation from an indepentent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner) that you are liable to sudden attack of giddiness or fainting, other than insulin dependent diabetic where disabling hypoglycaemia is considered to be controllable or,

Confirmation from an indepentent medical specialist (Not your General Practitioner), or the local Health Authority, or your local Social Services office, that you have a severe mental disorder and are under long-term medication sufficiently strong as to make you a source of danger to the public if you were to drive.

Note – Anyone who has been refused a driving licence through a persistent misuse or drugs or alcohol does not qualify for a travel pass.