Bus passes (concessionary travel)

Bus pass eligibility criteria for older or disabled people and application details

Are you eligible for a bus pass?

Older people

The age of eligibility for women is pension age and for men it is the pensionable age of a woman born on the same day. Check whether you are eligible using the state pension age calculator. (opens in a new window)

Disabled people

You're eligible for a disabled person's pass if you live in England and are 'eligible disabled'. This means you:

are blind or 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 effect on your ability to walk
don't have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
have a learning disability
are a member or Veteran of the Armed Services who has been seriously injured in service

You're also eligible disabled if your application for a driving licence would be refused under section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (physical fitness). However, you won't be eligible if you were refused because of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

How to apply for a bus pass

Apply online for a bus pass

If you are unable to complete the online form, download the:

Support for the blind or partially sighted

If you are applying for a disabled person's bus pass under the blind or partially sighted category, then you can apply by telephone on 0300 330 1201 ( national rate call (opens in a new window)). A dedicated member of staff will either complete an application over the phone for you or arrange for a large print version of the application to be sent out by post.

Lost, stolen passes and change of address

Please call 0300 330 1201 to re-order ( national rate (opens in a new window) call).

You will normally need to pay £7 to replace a lost or spoilt pass unless the loss was as the result of theft and a Police Crime Number is supplied.

What does the bus pass entitle you to?

Free local bus travel in Dorset from 9.30am to 11pm on Monday to Friday and at any time during weekends and public holidays.

You are also entitled to free local bus travel in all other areas of England during these off-peak times.

Free travel throughout the week is available for blind and partially sighted people. For companion pass holders it is free from 9.30am to 11pm on weekdays and all day at weekends and public holidays.

Exemptions

Some rural areas of Dorset have less frequent public transport services. With this in mind we are offering Dorset residents pre 9.30am travel as an exception to the scheme where there is no other service or the next available service is 10.30am or later.

Full list of public transport services that can be used before 9.30am (19 July 2016) (pdf, 293kb) (opens in a new window)

For more information, email the Dorset Travel team at dt@dorsetcc.gov.uk.

Please note

From 24 July 2017, Dorset County Council will no longer provide the enhancement of free concessionary travel before 9.30am. From this date, the exemptions in the list will no longer be valid. Further details of this change can be found on the bus passes public consultation page.

Preventing fraud

By law, councils have to protect public money. We may share information you provide with those responsible for auditing or administering public money in order to prevent or detect fraud. The council must send data held on concessionary travel passes.

Dorset County Council have contracted Euclid Ltd to manage the process of Concessionary Bus Pass applications and enquiries.

Bus (concessionary) passes - public consultation
The amount of funding that Dorset County Council receives from central government has been reduced significantly. This has had a big impact on the funding available for local bus services in the county.
Concessionary travel - information for bus operators
Dorset County Council operates a scheme to reimburse bus operators for allowing free travel to holders of the Dorset Concessionary Bus Pass and other bus passes in the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme.
East Dorset District Council Travel Concessions and Travel Tokens
In addition to the national scheme, residents of East Dorset who are entitled to a free bus pass are also entitled to all day travel, not limited to off-peak hours.
North Dorset District Council National Bus Pass Scheme
Dorset County Council is now responsible for all bus pass applications and the National Scheme now applies in North Dorset. Some assistance for North Dorset residents who need to travel by bus to early medical appointments is available, by application.