Concessionary Bus Fares Scheme
The new concessionary bus fares scheme in England started on 1 April 2008. This allows pass holders free off-peak local bus travel anywhere in England at any time at weekends and bank holidays, and between 0930 and 2300 on other days. This applies to people aged 60 and over and eligible disabled people, who are resident in England. Further information about your new bus pass is given below. If you do not already have a bus pass, please use the link on the left to visit the Applying for a Travel Concession page.
Using your new Bracknell Forest bus pass
- Weekends and public holidays
- Weekdays
- Local buses
- Showing your pass
- Railcards
- Concessionary Bus Fares Scheme: Frequently Asked Questions
The times at which you can use your bus pass will depend on when and where, in England, you get on the bus.
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
- You can board any local bus anywhere in England and travel at any time without charge.
Weekdays - Mondays to Fridays (days which are not public holidays)
- You can board a local bus in Bracknell Forest Borough, The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead or Slough Borough, and travel without charge at any time. (Please note that travel on Green Line services to London is excluded from this enhancement of the National Scheme).
- You can board a local bus in Reading Borough, Wokingham Borough, or West Berkshire District, and travel without charge from 9am.
- For the rest of England, you can travel without charge when you board a local bus between the hours of 9.30 am and 11.00 pm. You may also be able to benefit from local arrangements allowing more extended hours. If you plan to visit an area outside Berkshire, and you would like to know whether there are any special local arrangements that may apply to you, the local council of the area you are interested in will be able to tell you and clarify, if you have any doubt whether the bus you plan to use is part of the Scheme.
The buses you can travel on without charge are 'local buses'. A local bus is usually one that has frequent stops along the route. Local buses can operate anywhere in England, not just locally to where you live, and are what you might think of as an 'ordinary' bus. Please note the following restrictions on the scheme.
- Express Coaches: Express coaches usually operate longer distance services with few stops, often using motorways. They are not classed as local buses, and you cannot use your free travel bus pass on them, although some bus companies offer reduced fares.
- Trains, trams, taxis and ferries: You cannot use your concessionary bus pass on trains (including London underground), trams or ferries, nor for travel on taxis / private hire vehicles.
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Your Bracknell Forest bus pass can only be used in England. You cannot use your bus pass for travel in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
And finally, please remember….
You must show your pass every time you get on a bus. In some places the driver may ask you to touch your pass on an automatic reader. Please try to make sure that the Bracknell Forest badge in the top right hand corner of the pass can be easily seen by the bus driver.
If you have any queries, please contact us using the contact details on the right-hand side of this page or visit our Concessionary Bus Fares Scheme: Frequently Asked Questions page.
This Council offers a subsidised railcard as an alternative to a bus pass to the over 65s and disabled people. These railcards gives holders a third off most standard and first-class rail fares across Great Britain for a whole year. Currently the subsidised cost of a Senior Railcard is £9.60, and the subsidised cost of a Disabled Persons Railcard is £3.60. Please note that if you choose to obtain a railcard from the Council you cannot claim a bus pass for at least a further year. For more information on how to apply for a railcard, please visit our Applying for a Travel Concession page.
 |
Listen |  |
Feedback |  |
