Older and disabled people will be able to use their bus passes before 9.30am, Kent County Council has announced.
The passes will be able to be used on services provided by Stagecoach, Arriva, Go Coach and Nu-Venture.
Holders of a senior citizen and disabled bus pass were previously able to travel for free on buses after 9.30am, but following discussions with these operators, this condition has been removed.
KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport Michael Payne said: “I’m very grateful to Stagecoach, Arriva, Go Coach and Nu-Venture who have worked with Kent Highways and Transport to extend the use of the bus pass on their services before 9.30am.
“This is something that will be extremely helpful during a time when some shops are opening early specifically for the older generation to support them during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Our public transport team is working hard to extend this to other operators in the coming days.
“This change will come into force tomorrow morning (Thursday) and I’m very happy that we have been able to support those in our community during this period of disruption.”
Kent County Council has a statutory duty to provide passes for free bus travel throughout England for older and disabled people under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS).
Over 250,000 people in the county have a bus pass, with around 227,000 for older people and 22,000 for disabled people.
A Stagecoach spokesman said: “The restriction on the use of concessionary travel passes will be removed from tomorrow (March 19). That means all KCC and ESCC concessionary passes will be available to use on the bus at all times (before 9.30am).
“We’ve agreed this with KCC and East Sussex County Council who determine the restrictions. It’s a temporary emergency measure to help vulnerable and elderly people in the community who may wish to travel to get essential supplies.”
Shops are empty though
Shops might close
Being told not to go out
Shops are not all empty, honestly. Good luck with your shopping.
This year’s Glastonbury is cancelled
I wasn’t thinking of using my OAP bus pass to get there.
This morning (I walked) the butcher, the green grocer and the supermarket all had stuff available. Maybe not exactly what I wanted but quite enough to ensure that I didn’t go hungry.
There were toilet rolls, too.
Stop posting rubbish scare stories, please.
Well not everyone is close enough to walk, and this isn’t a scare story it’s positive for those in villages across Kent with the nearest shop being miles away
It should be back for good as like someone like myself
How might have appointment to doctors or hospitals and when we do have to get taxi as buses not available till 9.30
A lot of these small convenient shops are buying cleaning items, toilet rolls, long life essentials, etc, from the supermarkets in bulk at standard prices then trying to sell them on at huge mark-ups to vulnerable people who cannot find those items when they do manage to go out shopping. This profiteering is disgusting especially when lives are in the balance through covid-19 coronavirus. Whilst fantastic volunteers are helping others to get their daily essentials, other greedy people can only think of themselves, hoarding and how much money they can make out of this situation.
That has nothing to do with this article at all Rebecca.
Glass half empty as always
My glass is 3/4 full.
That’s good. Self isolators can travel at peak times now. ?
Self isolalators have always been able to use the bus at peak times.
What’s your point?
Not everyone can walk to the shops, so transport is needed. I refer to my previous post –
Could we just have the odd bus exclusively for self isolators ? There is little point in going to a shop open exclusively for the elderly and vulnerable, having got off a crowded, peak time bus.
Could we just have the odd bus exclusively for self isolators ? There is little point in going to a shop open exclusively for the elderly and vulnerable, having got off a crowded, peak time bus.
Ticket rollover though thank goodness?
I think its fantastic idea so THANK YOU Stagecoach
I agree. THANK YOU
Thank you for a very ‘common sense’ decision. It will help a lot.
Good positive story, thanks Kathy for bringing it to us as it wasn’t on the news tonight.
thankyou stagecoach you are my no 1
I wish Southport Arriva would win the same.
It’s madness they still have the restrictions, my 73 year old mum can not afford to get to town early and beat the ques.