Free Concessionary Bus Passes

Where can I apply?

If you are eligible on grounds of age you can apply either

online
at any of Gloucestershire's participating libraries
at Wotton-under-Edge One Stop Shop

If you are eligible on grounds of disability you can apply

at any of Gloucestershire's participating libraries
at Wotton-under-Edge One Stop Shop

If you are applying for a pass on grounds of disability please call 01452 426265 to make an appointment. This will ensure that someone is available to assist you with your application.

You will receive your pass in the post in 5 - 7 days from when we receive a valid application.

Who can apply for a pass?

Residents of Gloucestershire who are of pensionable age, or residents who are disabled and/or cannot drive for medical reasons, are entitled to a concessionary bus pass.

If you were born before 5th April 1950 you are eligible from your 60th birthday.

If you were born after 5th April 1950 the age of eligibility

for women will be their pensionable age and
for men it will be the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day.

From April 2010 the government is gradually increasing the state pension age for women from 60 to 65 by April 2020.

If you are unsure when you will become entitled to your concessionary bus pass see 'Calculate your State Pension Age'. [Note: To use this site to find out when you will be eligible for a bus pass, say you are female (even if you are male) and enter your date of birth.]

You may apply up to 28 days before you become entitled to use your pass.

If you are in any of the categories listed here, you could be entitled to concessionary bus travel:

if you are blind or partially sighted
if you are profoundly or severely deaf
if you are without speech
if you have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
if you do not have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
if you have a learning disability
if you have applied for the grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, but your application was turned down because of section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) but not if it was because of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol

If you are unable to travel unaccompanied due to the severity of your disability, you may be eligible for a pass that allows a companion to travel with you free. You will need to get your doctor's confirmation, using the word icon Companion application form [108kb]

What evidence do I need to show?

If you apply on-line you will need a digital photograph of yourself. This must be recent, colour, full face, and without glasses (unless you are blind) and without a hat. The system will check your age and address against national databases. If it unable to find your details on these databases, you will be asked to visit a library to complete your application. In this case you will need to bring proof of age and address.

If you apply at a library for a pass on grounds of age, please take proof of age and address.

If you apply for a pass on grounds of disability, please take proof of address and disability. If is also helpful if you complete the word icon Disabled Concessionary Bus Pass Application Form [113kb]

Suitable proof s of address are:

Bank statement
NHS medical card
Benefit book / letter
Council tax bill
Driving licence
Optical / medical prescription counterfoil
Utility bill

Suitable proofs of age are:

Passport
Driving licence
Birth certificate

Suitable proofs of disability are:

Valid Blue badge
Statement of eligibility for Disability Living Allowance with higher rate mobility component
War pension (Mobility supplement)
Letter from doctor or other medical specialist stamped on official paper and confirming one of the following:
- You are registerable as blind or partially sighted
- You are registerable as profoundly or severely deaf
- You cannot walk 100m without stopping, severe discomfort or help from another person even when a mobility or artificial aid is used
- You have long term loss of the use of both arms
- You have a medical condition that would cause a driving licence to be refused or withdrawn.
A letter from the DVLA giving notice of refusal or withdrawal of licence. This must be no more than 12 months old.
Proof of residency in a care home for those with learning disabilities
Proof of attendance at a school for those with learning disabilities
Other proofs of learning disabilities may be acceptable depending on the level of disability. Please let us know if you already receive help from the County Council for learning disabilities.

What happens next?

Your bus pass will be sent directly to your home address from a central dispatch point. This should arrive within 5 - 7 working days from when we have seen valid evidence. It can sometimes take slightly longer for applications on grounds of disability.

Where, when and how can I use it?

By using your pass you are agreeing to the terms and conditions.

You should present your bus pass to the driver of the bus to obtain free travel and state your destination. If your bus has a smart card reader, you should touch your pass against it.

Your pass is valid from 9:30am to 11:00pm Monday to Friday and anytime on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. Within Gloucestershire you can use your pass before 9:30am on certain infrequent rural routes - see the list of adobe_acrobat icon Early Bird Routes [126kb]

You can use your bus pass for journeys on local buses which start and finish within the boundaries of England. If you are travelling from Gloucestershire into Wales you can use your pass on direct bus services between Gloucestershire and Monmouth and Chepstow.

If you have a pass which allows your companion to travel free, they will only be able to do this within Gloucestershire. You may use your pass in the rest of England but your companion will have to pay.

Your pass will not be valid on:

Coach services including National Express
Rail services
Community Transport (mini buses)

What if my pass doesn't work when I use it with a pass reader on a bus?

You may be trying to use your pass on a route or time when it is invalid. In this case you need to either pay the fare or catch a different bus. However your pass will also fail to work if it has become cracked or damaged or if the computer chip has been damaged. In this case the driver will advise you to contact us to order a replacement pass. Depending on the cause of the problem you may have to pay £5 for a replacement.

Your pass may also fail to work if we have reason to believe that your pass is being used fraudulently (for example you have told us it was lost). If this happens, please contact us on 01452 426265.

How do I renew my pass?

Your pass is valid until the date printed on it, however we retain the right to cancel it prior to this date if we have reason to believe that it is being used fraudulently. A few weeks before your pass expires you will receive an invitation to renew it with instructions on how to do this. You may renew an age related pass online. Disabled applicants will need to provide up to date proof of their disability if they wish to renew their pass.If you have not received an invitation to renew your pass 3 weeks before it expires, please contact us, preferably by emailing concessionaryfares@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

What happens if I lose it?

Age related passes can be replaced online. There is a £5 administration fee. You will need a credit or debit card to pay this fee. Or you can visit a library and pay by cash or cheque.

If you have a pass on grounds of disability, you can replace this by visiting any main Gloucestershire library. If you are able to provide up to date proof of your eligibility, your pass may be renewed for a full 5 years, so that you don't need to come in again. If you do not have proof of your disability, your pass will only be renewed up to its previous expiry date. There is a £5 charge.