Concessionary Fares

West Berkshire Council operates two concessionary schemes. People of eligible age qualify for a National Off-Peak Bus Pass, and those over the age of 16 who are affected by one or more of the disabilities listed below will be eligible for travel tokens. Also any person with a disability who is 5+ years will be eligible for a disabled National bus pass. Applicants must reside permanently in the West Berkshire area. It should be noted that an individual can only have one of the two concessions in a scheme year (01 April - 31 March).

Change in the Age of Eligibility for Concessionary Travel

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced changes to the age of eligibility for concessionary bus travel, in line with the changes that are being made to the state pension age from 06 April 2010.

The age of eligibility for the state pension will rise by two months every one month. This means the earliest date on which a person can obtain a National Off-Peak Bus Pass will depend on which month they were born in and will not fall on their birthday.

The calculation table below shows a snapshot of when a person will become eligible for their concessionary bus pass:

Dates of Eligibility for Concessionary Fares

Period within which date of birth falls     Day become eligible for concessionary fares

Before and including 05 April 1950           Date of 60th birthday

06 April 1950 to 05 May 1950                   06 May 2010

06 May 1950 to 05 June 1950                   06 July 2010

06 June 1950 to 05 July 1950                    06 September 2010

06 July 1950 to 05 August 1950                06 November 2010

06 August 1950 to 05 September 1950     06 January 2011

And so on....

Further information on the change in legislation to the age eligibility and state pension age calculator for a National Off-Peak Bus Pass can be viewed by clicking on relevant links located on the right hand side of the web page under 'Offsite Links'.

What are Eligible Applicants Entitled to?

Free National Off-Peak Bus Pass

The Free National Off-Peak Bus Pass will allow you to travel on any registered local bus service in England at off-peak times (i.e. between 9.30am and 11.00pm Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays); it will not be valid for use on long distance coach services (e.g. National Express), nor in Scotland, Wales or Ireland, nor on tram, rail, underground (tube) services, nor taxi journeys.  In addition the pass will allow you to travel within West Berkshire and on services to and from neighbouring town centres outside the district between 9.00am and 11.00pm Monday to Friday and all day on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.

The pass will be valid for travel on local bus services and the demand responsive Call-A-Bus services services, West Berkshire Volunteer Handybuses and Readibus services for local travel within the specified times.  Please see the 'Getting There' booklet for more information on the National Bus Pass.

Companion Bus Passes

Customers who require the help of a carer when travelling on West Berkshire buses can apply for a Companion Bus Pass, which entitles the customer and their assistant to travel free only within West Berkshire, as it is a local enhanced scheme.

Travel Tokens

The travel tokens are a local West Berkshire Council scheme and are only available for those applicants affected by disability. Travel tokens can be used on local buses, trains, demand responsive Call-A-Bus services, West Berkshire Volunteer Handybuses and Readibus services, taxis and certain coaches on any journey originating or ending in West Berkshire. Most operators in West Berkshire accept travel tokens. However, operators based in other authorities who run services in and out of West Berkshire may not accept tokens. Customers should check that travel tokens are accepted prior to travelling. Travel tokens are reduced on a quarterly basis as shown below and available in denominations of £1 (purple in colour) or 25 pence (lilac in colour) for the current scheme year April 2010 – March 2011.  Customers have up to 30 April 2010 to use the orange and yellow travel tokens issued in scheme year 2009/10. 

Please note that no change is given out on the Reading Buses services.

The travel tokens will be posted to you via recorded delivery. A letter of continual entitlement will be sent to you in March of each year.

Qualifying periods 2010/11  Value of Travel Tokens

April – June                                £70.00

July – September                       £52.50

October – December                 £35.00

January – March                       £17.50

Please note that only one allocation of travel tokens is allowed, depending on time of application.

New Applicants

Applicants must state which category they fall into (Over 60 or Disabled) and the scheme they wish to apply for (National Off-Peak Bus Pass or Travel Tokens on disability grounds) by ticking the appropriate boxes. Customers then need to provide the following personal information: address including post code, date of birth and a telephone number. Then sign and date the application form (located on the right hand side of this page, under the downloads section) and return it to the Concessionary Fares Team, along with photocopy documents of proof of eligibility:

For proof of age (eligible age) - Birth Certificate, Passport, NHS Medical Card, Driving Licence etc.
For proof of address (resident in West Berkshire) - Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Driving Licence, Council Tax Bill, etc.

For bus pass applications ONLY, a colour passport size photograph.

Disabled Applicants

Disabled Applicants should be in one of the following categories:

• Is blind or partially sighted.
• Is profoundly or severely deaf.
• Is without speech.
• Has a disability, or has suffered an injury, which has substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to walk. i.e. applicants can only walk between 27 and 64 meters without severe discomfort.
• Does not have arms or has long-term loss of the use of both arms.
• Has a learning disability, that is, a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning i.e. has an IQ of 50 or less. Disability must have started before adulthood and to have been registered, received or receiving specialist education at a Special Educational Needs School.
• Would, if he or she applied for the grant of a license to drive a motor vehicle under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, have his or her application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the grounds of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol. – Written confirmation required from the DVLA.
• Has been diagnosed with a severe long term mental health problem that has already existed for twelve months or based on confirmed expert opinion is likely to exist for twelve months. Required to be registered with the Council's Community Mental Health Team and/or written confirmation from the DVLA refusing the issue of a driving licence on the grounds of mental health other than persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.