Bus Passes
This page contains information about the National Concessionary
Bus Pass, its use and the eligibility requirement for
applicants.
To receive the National Concessionary Bus Pass which permits
free off-peak travel across England, please read the
information below and, if you are eligible, complete the
application form which is available from the Related Documents
section at the bottom of the page. Forms can be sent to Rochford
District Council, the address is shown on the application, or if
you prefer you can visit the Rochford District Council Offices at
either South Street, Rochford or the Civic Suite in Rayleigh.
Applicants are only permitted one pass per person and this
should be provided by the Authority where they are a permanent
resident and are entered on the electoral role.
Over 60 Years Old
From the 6 April 2010 age of eligibility for concessionary
travel for women is pension age, and for men it is
pensionable age of women born on the same day. For people who have
already reached the age of 60 before the 6 April 2010, there will
be no changes, even if you have not already taken up your
entitlement to a bus pass. If you were born after the 5 April 1955
you will have to wait until you are 65 to obtain a bus pass. The
state pension age for women is rising 5 years over a period on 10
years. The age of eligibility will rise incrementally, that is, in
stages, between 2010 and 2020. The earliest age for men and women
to get bus passes will therefore rise gradually from 60 on 6 April
2010 to 65 on 5 April 2020. The Government decided that this would
be the fairest method, rather than introduce a one off rise which
would leave those currently close to retirement age facing a full
five year delay. The age of eligibility of state pension is
scheduled to rise two months every one month, this means the
earliest date you can obtain your bus pass will depend on which
month you were born in and will not fall on your birthday. The
table below sets out when those approaching the age of 60 will
become eligible for their Concessionary Bus Pass.
| Date of birth |
Date Eligible for a bus pass |
| 6 February 1951 to 5 March 1951 |
6 January 2012 |
| 6 March 1951 to 5 April 1951 |
6 March 2012 |
| 6 April 1951 to 5 May 1951 |
6 May 2012 |
| 6 May 1951 to 5 June 1951 |
6 July 2012 |
| 6 June 1951 to 5 July 1951 |
6 September 2012 |
| 6 July 1951 to 5 August 1951 |
6 November 2012 |
| 6 August 1951 to 5 September 1951 |
6 January 2013 |
| 6 September 1951 to 5 October 1951 |
6 March 2013 |
| 6 October 1951 to 5 November 1951 |
6 May 2013 |
| 6 November 1951 to 5 December 1951 |
6 July 2013 |
| 6 December 1951 to 5 January 1952 |
6 September 2013 |
| 6 January 1952 to 5 February 1952 |
6 November 2013 |
| 6 February 1952 to 5 March 1952 |
6 January 2014 |
| 6 March 1952 to 5 April 1952 |
6 March 2014 |
| 6 April 1952 to 5 May 1952 |
6 May 2014 |
| 6 May 1952 to 5 June 1952 |
6 July 2014 |
| 6 June 1952 to 5 July 1952 |
6 September 2014 |
| 6 July 1952 to 5 August 1952 |
6 November 2014 |
| 6 August 1952 to 5 September 1952 |
6 January 2015 |
| 6 September 1952 to 5 October 1952 |
6 March 2015 |
| 6 October 1952 to 5 November 1952 |
6 May 2015 |
| 6 November 1952 to 5 December 1952 |
6 July 2015 |
There is a calculating tool which enables you to see at what age
you would be eligible for your bus pass and state pension, which
can be found on the Directgov website which is available from
the Related Links section at the bottom of this page. You must be a
permanent resident who lives in the Rochford District and eligible
aged over 60 years old, applicants are required to provide proof of
entitlement. Please ensure the evidence detailed below is provided
with your application form.
- Confirmation of permanent residency: (one of the following)
rent book, council tax demand, pension statement, utility bill,
bank/building society statement.
- Confirmation of age (eligible over 60 years old): (one of the
following) birth certificate, valid driving licence, passport,
pension book or marriage certificate.
- PLEASE DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS
Disabled
Applicants with disabilities are required to provide proof of
entitlement relating to their disability.
The following information shows the criteria which will be taken
into account to determine eligibility for a free bus pass in
England. This information can be found in the Transport Act
2000 (Section 146 of the Act) Applicants with disabilities who are
able to claim this concession must meet one of the seven categories
contained in ‘The Guidance to Local Authorities on Accessing
Eligible Disabled People in England for Concessionary Bus Travel’,
issued by the Department for Transport. Each of the following
criteria is the evidence that is to be supplied to prove
eligibility. This information should be provided with the
application form.
Criteria and Evidence Required
A - Confirmation of permanent residency
Rent book, council tax demand, pension statement, utility bill,
bank/building society statement.
B - Persons who are blind
The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Living Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement or provide confirmation from an eye
specialist, or Optometrist.
C - Persons profoundly or severely deaf
The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement or can provide proof of registration
or confirmation from a specialist of hearing loss at 70-95dBHL or
above.
D - Persons without Speech
The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Living Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement, or be able to provide medical
evidence from a specialist.
E - Persons who have a disability, or has suffered an
injury, which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on
their ability to walk
The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Living Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
F - Persons who do not have arms, or have long term loss
of use of both arms
Includes deformity, amputation of one or both arms, muscular
dystrophy, spinal cord injury, motor neuron disease or a condition
of comparable severity reducing the ability to carry out day to day
tasks, The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Living Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement.
G - Persons who have a learning disability, that is, a
state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes
significant impairment of intelligence and social
functioning.
The applicant must be able to show evidence that they are in
receipt of Higher Rate Mobility of Disability Living Allowance, War
Pensioners Mobility Supplement or confirmation of registration with
Social Care, and may have had or have special education
provision.
H - Would, if applied for grant of a licence to drive a
motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988; have an
application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (Physical
fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs
or alcohol.
Can include those suffering with Epilepsy which occurs in any
12month period, severe mental disorder, Insulin dependant diabetes
where the person experiences temporary hypoglycemia, sudden attacks
of giddiness or fainting as a result of cardiac disorder or
otherwise, Kidney or liver function or other debilitating diseases
that may reduce the opportunity to gain a driving licence or would
be unable to read a registration plate in good light at 20.5
metres. Confirmation of refusal of a driving licence or medical
evidence from a specialist to show the disability would prevent
them obtaining of a driving licence.
Companion Travel
Some disabled residents may be eligible for a companion pass.
This pass is available to those residents who, due to their severe
disability, are unable to travel alone (this is an additional
concession and is non statutory and therefore the criteria is set
by Rochford District Council). The companion is entitled to travel
with the pass holder within the District of Rochford and other
districts of Essex from 9.00am until midnight Monday to Friday and
any time during weekends and Public Holidays. A companion cannot
receive free travel outside Essex or across any other districts in
England.
The Bus Pass
Once in receipt of your National Concessionary Bus Pass you will
be entitled to free off peak travel on local bus services
throughout England. The pass is valid for use within the Rochford
District and the other Districts of Essex between the hours of
9.00am and midnight Monday to Friday and at any time during
weekends and Public Holidays. The bus pass is also valid for use
across all other Counties of England between the hours of 9.30am
until 11 .00pm Monday to Friday and at any time during weekends and
Public Holidays. Free travel is only permitted on local bus
services within the hours shown above. At all other times a fare
must be paid in accordance with the fares charged by individual
operators and cannot be reclaimed from either the operator, the
District Council or County Council in which travel is taken or from
the Council who issued the pass. Other Travel This does not include
free travel on other forms of transport or public transport, i.e.
tubes, trains, trams, Dial-a-Ride services, community transport
services and ferries, either within the Rochford District or in
other Districts throughout England.
London
Your National Concessionary Bus Pass can be used on local bus
services throughout London, but is not valid on tubes, trains,
trams or ferries. London site seeing tours are unlikely to accept
your pass but please check with individual operators before
travelling.
Tour Buses and Long Distance Coaches
Your National Concessionary Bus Pass is not valid on bus/coach
day trips, tours or holidays, they are also not valid for use on
long haul journeys to other areas of the country, many of which are
operated by National Express or other well known operators.
Wales and Scotland
Your National Concessionary Bus Pass is not valid for use on
public services of any kind within Wales and Scotland, free travel
on local bus services into Wales or Scotland may be permitted if
the nearest district Council agrees to pay for the cross border
journeys, enquiries should be made through each district offices or
via the bus operator to confirm if any free travel is
available.
The Pass
Your new pass will be of a National design and is identifiable
on the front of the pass by a red Rose and Ribbon on a white
background, including the issuing Authorities name and logo. It
also shows a photograph and the name of the entitled user with the
expiry date. The pass is issued by a printing contractor on behalf
of Rochford District Council to eligible residents. Those eligible
over the age of 60 have a pass which has a blue side panel on the
front right hand side; those eligible disabled and under 60 years
old will have a pass with an orange side panel on the front right
hand side. In some cases a disabled person is entitled to have a
companion to travel with them and this entitlement is identified by
a C+ on the top right hand side of the orange coloured panel.
(please see specific detail relating to companions). The back of
the bus pass has a white background and shows the issuing
Authority’s details and logo plus additional information.
Smartcard
The pass is of a Smartcard design, it is a plastic card which
contains a microchip which can store information electronically and
means it can, if enabled, be used to work with a reader. The card
is a different type to that used in London, however work is
continuing to enable its use in different ways across the country.
In the mean time, when travelling users will be permitted free
travel when boarding a bus only if they show their pass to the bus
driver or if the electronic equipment is available, place the card
across the smart reader pad.
Change of Address
If you move within the Essex area, you must inform the
Authority that issued your bus pass of your change of address. Your
details will be passed to your new Authority by Essex County
Council who are responsible for issuing the bus passes within
Essex, you can continue to use your existing bus pass until the
expiry date printed on the pass. If you move outside of
the County you must contact the issuing authority who will
cancel your bus pass and you must apply to the new authority where
you have moved to.
Returned Bus Passes
If a resident no longer requires the bus pass please return it
to Rochford District Council for cancellation. Any passes returned
to this authority as a result of being found or previously stolen
will be retained at the Council offices for a 3month period before
disposal.
Lost or Stolen Passes
If you lose your bus pass a replacement can be obtained by
completing a duplicate bus pass application form. Forms are
available from the Council Offices at South Street or the Civic
Suite in Rayleigh or on line. A non refundable fee of £10 is
required for a replacement bus pass. The National Concessionary Bus
Pass contains a micro chip, therefore it is necessary when being
replaced to cancel that pass. If your bus pass is stolen this must
be reported to the Authority for cancellation a replacement pass
will be issued free of charge on production of a Police crime
reference number.
Data Protection Act 1988
Personal information provided as part of the application will be
held on computer or other relevant filing systems and be shared
with other accredited organisations or agencies in accordance with
the Data Protection Act 1988.
Fair Processing Notification
This Authority is under a duty to protect the public funds it
administers, and to this end may use the information you have
provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It
may also share information on the application form with other
bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for
these purposes.
For more information on
Concessionary Travel, please telephone the Transportation Section
at Rochford District Council on 01702 318189
email: transportation@rochford.gov.uk