Disabled person's bus pass

People with an eligible disability may be entitled to a bus pass for free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England. Off-peak hours are from 9:30am until 11pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and bank holidays.

Residents who are blind or partially sighted may travel without time restriction provided they board the bus within the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area. These passes bear an "all day local" logo.

To confirm your address is within the BCP area, you can check which council area you're in. If you have a second home, you must apply to the council where your main home is.

Before you apply

It is important to note that not everyone with a disability would qualify for a bus pass. There are eight different categories of qualifying disability listed below - please read through them and the required proof of your disability to see if any of them apply to you. If you qualify under more than one category you can choose which one to apply under.

You can apply for a disabled person's bus pass if you have one of the following disabilities which has lasted, or is expected to last for at least 12 months:

• are blind or partially sighted
• are profoundly or severely deaf
• are without speech, for example, you are unable to communicate orally in any language
• do not have arms or have lost the use of both arms
• have been or would be refused a driving licence for medical reasons (excluding the misuse of drugs or alcohol)
• have a disability, or suffered an injury, which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to walk
• are a member/veteran of the Armed Services seriously injured in service
• have a learning disability - the disability must have started before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development with a reduced ability to understand new or complex information, a difficulty in learning new skills and you may be unable to cope independently

Apply

You'll need:

• to set up an online bus pass account
• proof of your permanent residency in the BCP area (Council Tax bill, rental agreement, utility bill)
• proof of your date of birth (birth certificate, passport, driving licence)
• proof of your disability
• your National Insurance Number
• a recent passport style/size colour photo: digital or scanned photo

Renewing your bus pass

We may need to write to you about 6 weeks before your pass is due to run out to ask for up to date evidence to show that you remain eligible before we can renew it. We may also ask for an up to date photograph.

If your bus pass has not been used for over 12 months before the expiry date, we will not automatically contact you. If you do wish to receive a replacement, please contact the Concessionary Fares Team to renew it. You will not need to submit a new application, but you may need to submit evidence of ongoing eligibility and a new photograph.

Companion passes

We will provide, on application, a companion pass to severely disabled residents of the BCP area who are only able to access local bus services with the assistance of a travelling companion.

Apply by post

If you would like to apply by post, you can download an application form and return it by post along with with photocopies of your evidence and a passport photograph.

If you need any help or support making your application, please call us on 01202 123 700.

Please read the terms and conditions for more information about using your bus pass.