Concessionary Travel
The New Scheme
2008 has brought a substantial change to the way that bus pass holders can travel.
Here are the key points:
- You can travel anywhere in England off peak (09:30-23:00 Mon Friday) and
all days at weekends FREE OF CHARGE on local bus services.
- Great news!!!
If you are a North Dorset District Council resident
you can travel free of charge at any time of the day as long as your journey starts in North Dorset.
This is a discretionary element that NDDC Councillors voted to retain and goes above the statutory minimum.
Only NDDC and West Dorset District Council have retained this, so if you wish to travel in any other
authority before 09:30 on a weekday you will have to pay (or wait until after 09:30).
- If
you have the Companion element of the pass you will still be able to use it on journeys
in Dorset (Inc Bournemouth and Poole) and to and from Salisbury
- The pass will still
be valid on Community transport schemes such as Nordcat.
- There is a comprehensive
FAQ section on the Department for Transport
website.
 More information on Travelling
to London.
How to apply
You will be eligible for the Dorset Bus Pass if you are:
- Aged 60 or over
- Under 60 and Disabled (see below)
- Registered blind or partially sighted
The full criteria for eligibility can be found on the application form.
Applicants must provide a photocopy of the appropriate document or registration
card which clearly shows they satisfy one of the qualifying conditions . As an alternative the
district council may accept a supporting letter from Dorset Social Services, a relevant organisation
or doctor.
You will need to provide a colour photograph (passport size) and the photograph
you supply will be on the bus-pass for up to five years so make sure you are happy with it as it can't
be changed. Also, should you lose your bus-pass we may charge £5 to replace it).
Concessionary Travel Scheme Application Form
Disabled people who are under 60
Disabled people who satisfy one of the qualifying conditions are eligible (subject
to any other eligibility conditions that may apply to individual concessions). These conditions and
the Proof accepted (photocopies are acceptable) can be found on the application form.
Guide for Assessing Eligibilty
Other information
you may need to know:
National Fraud Initiative
This authority is required by law to protect the public funds it administers. It
may share information provided to it with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public
funds, in order to prevent and detect fraud. There is a requirement for the authority to send data held
on concessionary travel passes. For further information please see this link for more information: National
Fraud Initiative.
NORDCAT (North Dorset
Community Accessible Transport )
YOU CAN USE YOUR NEW BUS PASS ON NORDCAT
NORDCAT is a charitable organisation which provides a door-to-door minibus service
in the North Dorset area primarily for the elderly, disabled and socially excluded. The minibuses are
wheelchair accessible and can carry up to 15 passengers.
There is a small annual registration fee of £2 to cover administration costs. The
buses are also available for groups to hire. The registration for this is £5 per year.
For further information on any of the NORDCAT services please contact the NORDCAT
Community Transport Manager, Helen Reed, on (01258) 472164.
Rail Warrants and Taxi tokens
Please note: the Council no longer issues or redeems taxi tokens or rail warrants.
The only concession offered by NDDC is the bus pass travel concession.
If you have any other questions or for more information please contact the Customer
Contact Team on 01258 454111
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