Concessionary travel policies

There are a number of operational business rules which we follow.

Expiry date for passes

• Legislation allows us to issue passes for a maximum of five years.
• The expiry date on your bus pass will depend on the type of pass and the evidence provided.
• Expiry dates are set according to our Expiry Date summary document (PDF, 107 KB)
• Whenever a pass is renewed or replaced the expiry date will be re-set as above.

Older Person's Pass

• Can only be issued once someone reaches the qualifying age (currently state retirement age).
• Expiry date will be set to five years from the date of issue, unless evidence shows they are only in Warwickshire on a shorter term basis.
• Applications are accepted from two weeks before someone reaches the qualifying age.

Disabled Person's Pass

• Can only be issued to people who have a qualifying disability as set out in the legislation and associated guidance.
• In Warwickshire, will only be issued to people below the qualifying age. Once someone has reached state retirement age then they will be entitled to an Older Person’s Pass.
• Evidence of disability under category d or category g must be dated within the last year.
• Copies of disability evidence will be retained for as long as the person holds a valid bus pass and for up to five years afterwards.
• Will be issued if they have a qualifying disability until someone reaches the qualifying age at which point their next pass will be issued as an Older Person’s Pass.
• Will be issued for a maximum of five years – see table of expiry dates below.
• When a passholder who is under 18 renews their pass then a new photograph will be required.
• Short term passes will require evidence of a qualifying disability before they can be renewed.
• Long term passes may be renewed without asking for evidence every time they are renewed, but we may ask for evidence again some time in future.

All passes

• Evidence of eligibility will be inspected at the time of application and details stored for as long as the person holds a valid bus pass and for up to five years afterwards.
• When someone changes name and/or address it will be necessary for them to provide evidence of the name change (showing both old and new name) and/or evidence of the new address.
• We will not issue a pass to a postal-only or business address. If someone has no fixed address then we will need evidence they reside in Warwickshire and the pass must be collected from a Warwickshire County Council library.
• Passes will only be posted to the registered residential Warwickshire address (or to a selected library for collection by the passholder) and will not be delivered to family, friends or out of county addresses. Exceptions may be made where a third party has power of attorney or similar.
• Passes can be renewed from one month before they expire.
• If a pass expired more than 12 months ago then it is deemed to have lapsed and new evidence will be required.
• There will be a £10 charge for
  • replacing a lost or damaged pass,
  • replacing a stolen pass where the customer has not reported it to the police and obtained a crime/incident reference number, or
  • replacing a pass where someone has changed name and wishes to have a new pass in that name at any time other than renewal, or
  • replacing a pass where someone wants a new photo but their appearance has not substantially changed
  • replacing a pass which has been used fraudulently and confiscated by a bus operator
• We will issue a maximum of three normal replacement passes in one year. Further replacements will be issued at the discretion of the Concessionary Travel Manager depending on individual circumstances.
• Once a pass has been cancelled because, for example, it has been lost, stolen or damaged, it is not possible to ‘un-cancel’ it and so the replacement charge is non-refundable, even if the passholder later finds their lost pass.
• When someone’s pass is due to expire it will be their responsibility to renew it, although we may choose to send out reminders.
• Five years is the longest we can legally issue a pass

Preventing fraudulent use

• All passes reported lost, stolen, damaged, not received or not swiping will be hotlisted. This means they will be blocked on the electronic ticket machines and cannot be used.
• A pass which has been confiscated by a bus driver or inspector will be withdrawn until such time as the Concessionary Travel Manager authorises a new pass to be issued.
• Where a pass is found to be used by someone other than the passholder and has not been reported lost or stolen then;
  • The pass will be withdrawn and hotlisted
  • We will write to the passholder to ask them why, and to ask them to confirm that they will not allow anyone else to use their pass
  • We may also for up to date evidence of a qualifying disability (if applicable) and/or current address.
  • Once they have provided this information then they may order a new pass at a charge of £10 (treated as a lost pass)