Concessionary Travel

North Dorset District Council National Bus Pass Scheme

The national bus pass scheme allows free local bus travel anywhere in England at off peak times (9.30 am - 11 pm).  In addition to this residents of North Dorset who are entitled to a free bus pass are allowed free all day bus travel and are not limited to off-peak hours.

This means residents of North Dorset can use their bus pass at any time of the day and on any day of the week however this is limited to journeys that start within the North Dorset or the West Dorset area.

Are you eligible?

If you live in England are aged 60 or over or suffer from one or more of the following disabilities, you may be entitled to England-wide concessionary bus travel.  You are eligible if you:

• Are aged 60 or over (state pension age)
• Are blind or partially sighted
• Are profoundly or severely deaf
• Are without speech
• Have a disability or have suffered an injury which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
• Do not have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
• Have a learning disability - a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning, or
• Would, if you applied for a licence to drive a motor vehicle under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have your application refused under section 92 of the act (physical fitness) on grounds other than persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Effective from 6 April 2010, the government has introduced changes to the criteria by which people qualify for a bus pass on the grounds of age.  Essentially, the age of eligibility for women will be pension age and for men it will be the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day.

To find out when you will become eligible, visit the change to eligibility page.

Companion Travel

Disabled residents of North Dorset who are entitled to a free bus pass and who cannot travel on buses unaccompanied are offered a companion pass.  If you are granted this element companions are able to travel free on any bus journey starting in rural Dorset or in the Salisbury District but not on journeys starting in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole.

How to apply for a BusPass

If you have not yet applied for a bus pass, or have only just become eligible, you will need to apply to North Dorset District Council.  As part of the application you'll need to provide proof of either your age or disability and that you live permanently in the North Dorset area.  You will also need to supply a passport size and quality full face photograph of yourself.

To apply for a pass please complete and return the  North Dorset District Council Bus Pass Application Form [PDF 338kb] (opens in a new window).

Do I have to pay for my BusPass?

Bus passes are issued free of charge to eligible people.  However, as the new passes are expensive to produce and are produced to a national standard by an external company, we will make a £5 charge where passes are lost and a replacement is requested.  If the pass has been stolen and a crime number is provided to the council, then a replacement will be issued free of charge.

What buses can I use my bus pass on?

You can use your bus pass on any local bus service.  This does not include coach journeys, private coach or bus tours.  If you are in doubt whether you are entitled to free travel on a particular route, you will need to contact the service operator directly.  North Dorset District Council will not have details of eligible services in other parts of the country.

Can I use my bus pass on Nordcat?

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 and disabled.

If I visit an area that offers additional services, will I be entitled to them?

As a general rule, local authorities will only provide additional services for their own residents.  Some authorities, however, may provide them – check with the relevant authority in the area to which you intend to travel.  London Authorities pay for additional local travel concessions for holders of the London Freedom Pass.  North Dorset bus pass holders will be eligible to travel on London buses but not on tubes or trains.