Concessionary Travel
Scotland-wide free bus travel for elderly and disabled people
What is the Scotland-wide Scheme?
Older people and people with disabilities can now travel on a free, Scotland-wide concessionary bus service thanks to a new scheme set up by Transport Scotland, the Scottish Executive's transport agency.
The new scheme removes boundary restrictions and the time limits on travelling at peak periods of the old local schemes. This means older and disabled people can now travel free on any local bus service, or scheduled long distance coach service, anywhere in Scotland even during the rush hour.
A Scottish Citizens' National Entitlement Card (Entitlement Card) is needed to use the scheme.
There is no charge for an Entitlement Card.
People who live in the area covered by Strathclyde's Concessionary Travel Scheme can also use their Entitlement Card to get cheaper fares on First ScotRail trains and the Glasgow Subway within the area covered by the Strathclyde Scheme. A Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Ferry Travel Card is still needed to get concessionary travel on ferries for those people who qualify for them.
Read more about the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme.
Applying for an Entitlement Card
If you have never held a travel card before and now wish to apply because you are aged 60 or over, you can pick up an application form (LS304) from your nearest Post Office, from an SPT Travel Centre or from SPT's Travel Card Unit at Consort House, 12 West George Street, Glasgow G2 1HN. Tel 0141 333 3211. Textphone 0141 333 3258.
If you think you may be eligible for an Entitlement Card to take advantage of the free bus scheme because you have a disability, you can get an application form (NCT001) from your local Social Work office. Information on where you should apply can be obtained by contacting the Travel Card Unit at SPT.
If you have a Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Travel Card with a named ferry route on it, you need to keep using this card for ferry travel and renew it when it runs out. You can renew your elderly Ferry Card at your local Post Office, disabled cards must be renewed via the Travel Card Unit.
Who is eligible for an Entitlement Card?
Everyone who applies for an Entitlement Card, whether they are applying on the basis of age or disability, must live in Scotland. You will have to provide evidence that you reside in Scotland.
To qualify for an Entitlement Card you must be:
- 60 years old or over, or
- You are of fare paying age and qualify under one of the following:
- You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the disability living allowance;
- You receive the higher or middle rate of the care component of the disability living allowance;
- You receive attendance allowance;
- You receive a mobility supplement of the Naval, Military and Air Forces (Disablement and Death) Service Pension;
- You have a disabled person's parking badge (commonly known as Blue Badge); or,
- You are of fare paying age and qualify under one of the following:
- have been certified and registered as blind or partially sighted;
- would be refused a driving licence because you fail to meet the eyesight standard;
- suffer bilateral hearing loss greater than 70dBHL averaged over 1, 2 and 4kHz;
- live in a residential home or hospital and are eligible for the higher or middle rate of the care component of the disability living allowance or attendance allowance;
- have been refused a driving licence or have had your driving licence revoked on medical grounds, except for on the grounds of persistent drug or alcohol misuse;
- under legal age to drive but would have a driving licence application refused on the grounds of impaired physical fitness except where the impairment is caused by persistent drug or alcohol misuse;
- your ability to travel is impaired by a mental illness which has lasted for more than a year and you need to travel to keep health or social care appointments or take part in activities as part of a treatment, care or rehabilitation programme;
- you have been diagnosed as terminally ill or with a progressive degenerative condition and your illness means your mobility and ability to carry out day to day activities are severely impaired;
- you have lost:
- - one or both of your legs;
- - one leg and one arm;
- - both arms.
People who need someone to help them with their travelling needs
People who are aged 5 years old and over, whose mobility is such that they need someone to help them when they travel, can apply for an Entitlement Card with companion.
These allow the eligible person and one companion to travel free of charge, together for the same journey by bus. The companion can be a different person from journey to journey providing they get on and off the bus at the same places as the card holder.
There is no need for a companion cardholder to be accompanied on all journeys they make. They have the choice of whether to travel on their own or whether to have a companion with them.
You qualify for a companion card if you meet the following criteria. You:
- get the higher or middle rate of the care component of the disability living allowance;
- get attendance allowance;
- live in a residential home or hospital and are eligible for the higher or middle rate of the care component of the disability living allowance or attendance allowance;
- have been certified and registered as blind.
Renewal of your National Entitlement Card for persons aged 60 and over
If your National Entitlement Card for persons aged 60 and over is due to expire then you will automatically be sent a replacement card approximately two weeks before your card expires.
There is no need to contact Strathclyde Partnership for Transport unless you have changed your address since the issue of your current card.
If this is the case please telephone the Travel Card Unit as soon as possible on 0141 333 3211.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and use a textphone you can contact us on our textphone - 0141 333 3258.
Loss/theft of your National Entitlement Card
It is not necessary to complete another application form.
Please contact:
SPT Travel Card Unit
Consort House
12 West George Street
Glasgow
G2 1HN
Phone 0141 333 3211
Fax 0141 333 3224
E-mail us at freebus@spt.co.uk
A replacement should reach you within one week.