Civic Centre Access Restrictions

VISITORS to Hartlepool Civic Centre and the adjoining Law Courts are advised that essential repair work will start shortly at the front entrance to the building. From next week (w/c 6th February)

Public Transport and Concessionary Fares

Concessionary Fares

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The National Bus Pass Scheme is available to men and women aged according to the criteria outlined below, or those who are Registered Blind or Disabled, entitling them to free off-peak bus travel on all local buses throughout England.

With effect from 1st April 2011 holders of the national bus pass under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) will need to pay a fixed fare of 30 pence for any journey starting before 9.30 am Mondays to Fridays. For more information see the ENCTS poster - New Conditions for Pass Holders.

CHANGE IN AGE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE BUS PASS

From 6th April 2010, the age of eligibility for concessionary travel for women is pension age and for men it is the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day.

The state pension age for women is rising by five years over a period of ten 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 for the state pension is scheduled to rise by two months every one month. This means the earliest date on which you can get 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.

Period in which date of birth falls	Day of bus pass eligibility
Before and including April 1950	Date of 60th birthday
6th April 1950 to 5th May 1950	6th May 2010
6th May 1950 to 5th June 1950	6th July 2010
6th June 1950 to 5th July 1950	6th September 2010
6th July 1950 to 5th August 1950	6th November 2010
6th August 1950 to 5th September 1950	6th January 2011
and so on.....

There is also a ready reckoner tool which enables people affected by the pension age changes to see at what age they become eligible for their state pension and associated benefits. You can find this on the DirectGov website at:

http://pensions.direct.gov.uk/en/state-pension-age-calculator/home.asp

For the purposes of working out the date of eligibility for the bus pass using this tool, you should enter your gender as female. The date of state pension age calculated will be the date on which you become eligible for the concessionary bus pass. However if you are male, this will not necessarily be the same date on which you become entitled to the state pension.

If you are below the new minimum age but already have an over 60 pass will you lose it?

NO.
For people who have already reached the age of 60 or are due to do so before 6th April 2010 there will be no change whatsoever. Even if you have not already taken up your entitlement to a bus pass, you will be unaffected by the changes if your 60th birthday is before 6th April 2010.

Will you now have to wait until you are 65 for a bus pass?

NO.
You will only have to wait until you are 65 to get a bus pass if you were born after 5th April 1955. See the 'When will I get my bus pass question' above for details on how to calculate when you will be eligible for a bus pass.

If you have any of the following disabilities you are entitled to a travel permit:

Are 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 use of both arms
Have a learning disability
Have been refused a driving licence due to epilepsy

You will need to bring your blind registration card with you to the Civic Centre when applying for your permit. The permit needs to be renewed every four years and is free.

Applicants who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance mobility component at the higher rate are required to provide their entitlement documentation when applying for their pass.

All passes are issued for four years, expiring on your birthday, apart from temporary disabled passes.

All passes are issued from the Civic Centre Reception:

Monday to Thursday: 8.30 am to 5.00 pm
Friday: 8.30 am to 4.30 pm

If you would like more information on this Scheme or would like an application form, you can call into the Civic Centre or telephone Hartlepool Connect on 01429 523331.

Lost and Stolen Passes

A replacement fee of £5.00 will be charged for any lost passes. In the event your pass is stolen, please report this to the Police and obtain a crime number. On receipt of this your new pass will be issued free of charge.

Legal Statutory Notices regarding concessionary fares are available for viewing.

External Links

Hartlepool Borough Council is not responsible for the content of any external websites and does not endorse any product or organisation contained therein