Skip to start of page content |
Skip to main navigation |
Home |
Accessibility |
Contact Us |
Low Text Version |
Site Map |
View Graphic Version |
DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT News Release (120) issued by The Government News Network
on 18 September 2007
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly today unveiled the new pass that will give older
and disabled people free off-peak bus travel across England from 1st April,
2008.
Currently, people aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people are entitled to free off-peak bus travel within their own local authority area. But from April 2008 the Government will invest up to an extra £250m each year to extend the scheme to include off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England.
The new passes will also incorporate ITSO 'smartcard' technology to boost the roll out of 'smart ticketing'. This will help minimise fraud and ensure that the number of journeys made by pass-holders are accurately recorded for reimbursement purposes between local authorities and bus operators. In areas where buses are not yet fitted with smartcard readers the cards can still be shown to the driver as a traditional 'flash' card upon boarding.
Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said:
"We have already seen how popular concessionary fares are. Bus use in England rose by 4% in the year after we introduced free, off-peak local travel. Now we are extending their entitlement, millions of older and disabled people will be able to use their passes while visiting friends and family anywhere in England as well as to access local services."
"We hope that allowing eligible passengers to use their passes across local boundaries will continue to encourage even more people to get the most from the bus services available across the country."
"By introducing smartcard technology from the outset we are paving the way for full smart ticketing across the country. This would speed up boarding, cut fraud and open up the possibility of using the same pass to access a range of other local services such as libraries and leisure facilities."
Commenting on the scheme, Alan Burnett, senior policy officer at Help the Aged, said:
"Millions of older and disabled people rely on local bus services. From April, they will be able to save money when they cross local boundaries or visit friends and family in other parts of England."
The Passenger Transport Executive Group (PTEG) welcomed the decision to make the pass a smartcard. Neil Scales, director general of Merseytravel and PTEG spokesman on smartcards, said:
"Smartcard ticketing offers the prospect of greater convenience for passengers and lower administration costs for local authorities, operators and ultimately the taxpayer. "
"We look forward to working with the DfT and with bus operators to realise
the full potential of the national concessionary smartcard-as a
precursor to much wider application of public transport smartcards in
the years to come."
Steven Salmon, director of policy development at the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK, said:
"Operators will be ready to welcome pass-holders from all over England from 1 April. The Government's decision to make the passes 'smart' could help authorities and operators to offer fast, friendly and efficient services for everyone."
Example of disabled persons card
Stagecoach bus depots in Cumbria are being progressively equipped with smart enabled card readers. Click here for more details
Rossendale Transport Ltd will have smart enabled card readers operating on their bus services from Sunday 29 April 2007. For further information please click here.
Press Release Saturday 30th March 2007
There will be some changes to fares for Over 60s on Limited Stop/Express services operating in Lancashire from 1st April 2007.
Press Release Tuesday 30th January 2007
Bus pass holders in West Lancashire will benefit from extended journey routes with their special NoWcard.
Following negotiations with relevant bus operators, West Lancashire District Council has been able to widen its Travel Scheme to include free travel to additional areas previously not covered under the initiative.
Starting from 4th February, those people traveling from the District to Wigan and Southport will benefit.
Journeys on the following bus services from any bus stop within the West Lancashire
boundary directly to Wigan town centre will be free on production of the NoWcard.
These are:
Service 352
Service 375
Service 385
Free journeys from West Lancashire to Southport town centre include the following
bus services:
Service X2
Service 265
Service 377
Service 375
Service 385
Also, bus stops within the Tontine area of Up Holland – Moor Road/Holgate School and Church Street/Church Drive – are now included in the Lancashire Joint Concessionary Travel Scheme.
Cllr. Adrian Owens, Portfolio Holder for Finance, said:
“We know that our travel scheme is very popular and certainly alleviates some of the difficulties faced by older people and disabled people who want to travel. We have always been committed to trying to extend the scheme to cover more areas and we are delighted that our negotiations have come to fruition. I’m sure these new arrangements will be a great bonus for many local people.”
Anyone who wants to find out more about travel concessions can visit www.westlancsdc.gov.uk/travelconcessions
Press Release Tuesday 12th December 2006
Maureen and John Godfrey of South Shore, Blackpool, are the lucky winners of a Marks & Spencer hamper to celebrate being the one millionth user of a NoW smartcard since the world’s first ITSO Smartcard scheme went live here in Blackpool in September. That’s right – a million bus & tram journeys in Blackpool by local OAPs in the past 3 months, successfully processed by the most advanced ticket system in the world – a massive success, where Blackpool literally leads the world. Maureen and her husband John are regular users of Metro Line 5 and were delighted with the award – and with their bus service.
The ITSO Smartcard is a leading edge electronic system that replaces cash and traditional passes on buses. Developed over several years, it is an international protocol which will be used by every bus company in Lancashire over the next few months – and many others across the UK and abroad. Metro Coastlines has been at the forefront of introducing this technology in order to run the new concessionary travel arrangements for Lancashire’s OAPs. With a million journeys logged, the system is now well proven and many other places will start using ITSO Smartcards in the next few months.
Metro Coastlines operate over 200 buses and trams on a high frequency network
of services throughout the Fylde – many of them running every ten minutes.
All accept the NoW Smartcard.
For more details contact Oliver Howarth at Metro Coastlines on 0798 502 6585
Press Release Monday 2nd October 2006
NoWcard holders heading for Southport Hospital will be able to travel for free - thanks to West Lancs District Council.
The Council has made a new agreement with the bus operators, via Lancashire County Council, that gives free travel to and from Southport Hospital for people who hold a West Lancs NoWcard bus pass.
The new deal for bus pass holders applies to all direct and indirect bus routes between West Lancs and Southport Hospital and comes into force on 8 October 2006. It means:
· Bus pass holders can travel free of charge on buses that go direct
from West Lancs to Southport Hospital. The return journey is also free.
· Anyone who can’ t use the direct service can catch a bus to Southport
town centre and then transfer onto a bus that serves the Hospital - free of
charge. The return journeys would also be free.
The free travel offer applies after 9.30 am Monday to Friday, and any time on Saturday, Sunday or Bank Holidays. However, anyone travelling before 9.30am Monday to Friday will pay half fare.
Cllr Adrian Owens, portfolio holder for finance, said:
“The Council appreciates the difficulties faced by some older people and disabled people who have to travel to Southport Hospital and so we have made extra funds available to give free travel for bus pass holders. This is a new arrangement that gives free travel after 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays. I am sure it will be a great bonus for many local people.”
Press Release - Monday 6th March 2006
The existing concessionary scheme, which operates across Lancashire, is to be improved. Free travel will be available on journeys that take place wholly within the borough/district council area a pass holder lives. Free local travel will be available after 0930 weekdays and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays. On weekdays, before 0930, pass holders will continue to receive the concession as at present. ( except for the over 70s in Preston who will no longer be able to travel free before 0930. However, over 70s will no longer have to pay £10 for their pass to compensate for this change).
For trips into other Borough council areas, for a limited period an introductory flat single fare of 50p will be charged to people aged over 60 after 0930 weekdays, at weekends and on Bank Holidays. Before 0930 Monday to Friday the existing concessionary rate will apply. No return fares will be available before 0930 Monday to Friday.
For trips within Lancashire (but wholly outside the borough council area in which a pass holder lives) the existing concessionary rate will apply.
Existing concessionary travel arrangements are retained on journeys into the neighbouring areas of Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
The current arrangement, between Lancashire authorities and West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, allowing reduced cost travel on journeys wholly within West Yorkshire, has been withdrawn by the Passenger Transport Authority.
These changes follow the announcement by the Government in the 2005 budget, that free concessionary travel would be made available on bus services within each district area.
Pass holders need not obtain a new travel pass, as their existing NoWcard remains valid. Any person who currently does not have a NoWcard and think they qualify should contact the NoWcard Helpline (0845 058 1096) for advice.
At the end of the introductory period (date to be determined) trips into neighbouring borough council areas, will be free to the pass holder’s district boundary after 0930 weekdays, at weekends and on Bank Holidays. For the remainder of the journey, from the boundary to destination the current concessionary rate will apply based on the balance of the fare for the whole journey. The bus ticket machine will automatically calculate the fare.
Leaflets detailing all these changes will be sent to all pass holders.
Further information is available from the NoWcard Helpline on 0845 058 1096.
Notes
1: Each District Council decides the Concessionary Fares Scheme to operate in its area.
2: The NoWcard Project has been set up jointly by Cumbria and Lancashire County Councils and Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Borough Councils in conjunction with the district councils of Lancashire and Cumbria. The Project has delivered smart cards to 225,000 concessionary pass holders. Later this year buses will be progressively equipped with smart card readers which will read the NoWcards marking a new era in the way in which concessionary travel is operated and managed.
