New call to give State Pensioners free bus travel to any destination in the UK
The Labour Government has been urged to consider the “potential merits of a reciprocal agreement between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland” to enable every State Pensioner to use their bus pass to travel for free to and within other UK nations for free. Labour MP Elsie Blundell recently put the question to the Department for Transport, but the response will be a disappointment for the 12.9 million pensioners across the UK.
Transport Minister Simon Lightwood highlighted how the concessionary travel scheme is a “devolved policy area” which means the “administrative arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from those in England”. In the written response to the Heywood and Middleton North MP, he added: “There are no plans at present to introduce such an arrangement”.
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It’s worth noting that the Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 does include a power to allow for mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes across the UK through regulations in the future.
National Entitlement Card in Scotland
In Scotland, people over 60 are eligible to apply for the National Entitlement Card (NEC), which is administered by the Scottish Government. It is Scotland’s National Smartcard, offering access to many public services across the country.
The card gives elderly and disabled people free bus travel across Scotland and, through the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme, also provides reductions on train, Subway and ferry fares.
The NEC is valid for up to three years, but in a change to the renewal process, SPT no longer sends out renewal forms to disabled card holders. This means everyone with a card - sometimes referred to as a ‘Saltire card’ - should check the expiry date to make sure they will be able to enjoy uninterrupted entitlement to travel concessions.
SPT recommends applying for a renewal card at least five weeks before the expiry date. It’s also important to be aware that guidance on the SPT website states that the Concessionary Travel Card Unit at Buchanan Bus Station will be closed for in person applications until further notice.
