Door to Door: a travel guide for disabled peopleBefore you travel: Help with costsDisabled travellers may incur additional travel costs that other travellers do not have to pay, for example having to pay to use taxis rather than buses. State benefits such as the Disability Living Allowance are designed to help with some of these costs. There are also some charitable funds that may be able to help. These come from a variety of sources, which may need the help of an advisor to identify, but there are some that can be found quite easily, for example: The Armed Forces all have benevolent and welfare bodies which may be able to help with costs of travelling and holidays for ex-servicemen and women. Trades Unions or other trade organisations usually have welfare funds that may be available to their retired members and their dependants. Charity Search (beehive.thisisbristol.com/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=3655) is a national organisation which may be able to help you find sources of funding for individual people over 50 years of age to enable them to do things they might not otherwise be able to do. Going by busThe Concessionary Bus Travel Act 2007 gives a statutory guarantee of free off-peak travel for eligible older and disabled people on local bus services anywhere in England ('the national concession') - a similar concession is already available for eligible residents of Wales and Scotland. The national concession in England begins on 1 April 2008. It is a minimum concession which entitles eligible people to free travel on local bus services anywhere in England between 9.30am and 11pm on Mondays to Fridays and all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. The national concession is available for travel within these times, on local buses only, throughout England - including London - but it is not valid for bus travel within in Scotland or Wales. You can find more information about the changes on the Department of Transport website at: www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses/concessionary/. Councils may give concessions that exceed the minimum requirements (e.g. times when the concession may be used in their area) so you should contact your local council, unitary authority or Passenger Transport Executive for details of any additional concessions which may be available in your local area. The council, unitary authority or Passenger Transport Executive which issues your current 'bus pass' - if you have been issued with one - will also be responsible for supplying the replacement 'national bus pass', but this may not happen automatically; some authorities require eligible residents to re-apply. To find out your local district council go to: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm. Going by coachNational Express offers concessionary fares on their scheduled coach services if you are over 60 or disabled. No membership is involved but you have to be prepared to show proof of your eligibility - www.nationalexpress.com/coach/offers/index.cfm. Going by railDisabled Persons RailcardThe Disabled Persons Railcard is available to permanently and severely disabled people. It generally entitles the holder and one accompanying adult, to one third off the cost the price of many different types of rail ticket. From 6 September 2006 the price of the one-year railcard is £18. It is also possible to purchase a railcard valid for three years. The three-year railcard will cost £48. Both types of railcard also give the holder additional discounts when used to purchase other goods or services. Full details and a list of those eligible are available on the National Rail website, which also has a downloadable application form available at: www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk. Application forms are also available from the Disabled Persons Railcard Office helpline on 0845 605 0525 (textphone 0845 601 0132) or by writing to Disabled Persons Railcard Office, PO Box 163, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE12 8WX. However, you do not need a Disabled Persons Railcard to benefit from discounted rail travel if you are:
In both cases you and one travelling companion can get discounts of one third off the First or Standard Class price of 'Single' and 'Open Return' tickets, and 50% off the price of 'Day Return' tickets. Full details of all these concessions and an application form are available in the leaflet 'Rail Travel made Easy' downloadable from the Railcard website: www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/making-rail-travel-easier or from main rail stations. Dogs and other small animals are carried on trains free of charge, although there is a condition that dogs must be on a lead and not take up a seat. Guide Dogs, Hearing Dogs and Assistance Dogs trained by recognised training charity may be allowed into the restaurant car of a train at the steward's discretion, although every effort is made to serve meals at disabled passengers seats. Going by airFor UK disabled travellers there are currently no concessionary fare schemes for air travel. Some airlines offer special fare arrangements where a severely disabled person has to travel with a companion. An allowance may be possible for the second traveller, but this is at the discretion of the airline. Where a traveller requires more than one seat, Department for Transport Code of Practice says: You will need to check with the airline policy before you book. Going by seaSome ferry companies offer discounted fares to disabled passengers. They vary considerably and you should seek further information from the company concerned. Taking a car on domestic and European ferry servicesConcessions vary considerably and some companies give none at all. Where concessions are given they may only be available to disabled motorists who are members of one of the disabled drivers' motoring organisations. Concessions may also vary according to the time of year. Going by carBuying or leasing a car - the Motability schemesFor many disabled motorists the Motability schemes are the preferred way of obtaining a motor vehicle. The schemes are operated by the charity Motability (www.motability.co.uk), in connection with Motability Finance, and a network of Motability accredited dealers. To be able to buy or lease a car using the Motability Scheme you must be in receipt of either the Higher Rate Component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or War Pensioners Mobility Supplement for the period of the contract. A car can be leased or purchased through Motability on behalf of a disabled child passenger. You can also use the Motability Scheme to buy powered wheelchairs and pavement scooters. There are three different schemes operated by Motability. The most popular is the Lease scheme. Under this scheme you pay a non-refundable deposit and agree for the mobility component of your DLA to be paid to Motability who then use it to meet the monthly payments for a three year lease. This includes all motoring costs apart from the fuel used. The other two schemes are special hire purchase schemes for new and used cars. Previously there has been a much lower take-up for these schemes but recent changes have been made to make them more popular. More information about the Motability Scheme can be found at: www.motability.co.uk. TaxationValue Added Tax (VAT) Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) More information about VED can be found on the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) website at: www.dvla.gov.uk. Parking - The Blue Badge Scheme More information about the Blue Badge Scheme can be found at: www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/bluebadge/ and on the DirectGov website at: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/MotoringAndTransport/DG_4001061. You can also find out more information about the Blue Badge Scheme and whether you are eligible, or to get an application form, by contacting the local authority where you live - www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/Localcouncils/index.htm. The concessions only apply to on-street parking regulations, although if you have a Blue Badge, you may be able to get other discounts, for example on some toll bridges. Remember:
Toll concessions on motorways, tunnels and toll bridgesDisabled people using the following toll bridges, tunnels and motorways should be entitled to concessions provided they meet certain conditions set by the owners or operators outlined below. In some cases to qualify for the concession you will need to apply to the relevant bridge, tunnel or local authority in advance. So it is a good idea to check with owners or operators first and contact details are included where applicable. Please note that not all toll crossings offer concessions to Blue Badge holder and possession of a badge does not automatically entitle you to concessions at some crossings. Clifton Suspension Bridge (B3124: West of Bristol) The Bridge Master Dartford Tunnel and Dartford Bridge (River Thames) Tel: 01322 221603 Dunham Bridge (A57: Lincoln - Worksop) Tel: 01777 228222 Erskine Bridge (Near Glasgow) Tel: 0131 2447270 Forth Road Bridge (Near Edinburgh) Customer Care Humber Bridge (Near Hull) Exemption for those who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance and who are exempt from the payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax). Exemption vouchers are issued to the disabled person for use when crossing the bridge in their tax-exempt vehicle. Full details, including an application form are available can be found on the website. An application form can also be obtained in writing from: The Humber Bridge Board Itchen Bridge (A3025: Woolston - Southampton) Itchen Bridge M6 Motorway (Birmingham Toll) Tel: 0870 850 6262 Mersey Tunnel (Liverpool - Birkenhead) Mersey Tunnels Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing (M4/M48: North of Bristol) Severn River Crossing Plc Skye Bridge Tamar Bridge (A38) & Torpoint Ferry (A374) Torpoint Ferry Office Tay Road Bridge (Newport-on-Tay - Dundee) Tyne Tunnel (Near Newcastle) Tyne Tunnels Whitchurch Bridge (B471: Pangbourne - Whitchurch) Whitney on Wye Bridge (B4350: Whitney - Hay-on-Wye) Reciprocal parking arrangements in other countriesThe Blue Badge parking concession is recognised throughout the member countries of the European Union (EU). However you should be aware that the concessions themselves vary from country to country - the UK-issued Blue Badge gives you the same parking concessions as those which apply to Blue Badge holders of the country you are visiting. If you plan to drive in other countries where there are no reciprocal arrangements, you should take your Blue Badge with you and enquire at the local parking authority whether your Blue Badge will give you access to any local parking concessions. For more information on parking arrangements abroad, you should contact the Accessibility and Equalities Unit of the Department for Transport - www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/miu/. Going on holidayFamilies with disabled children may be entitled to help from Social Services departments. Some authorities may provide grants towards holiday costs, others may offer holidays at places of their own choice. Grants may be subject to means testing and even when available, the amount is usually small. Further information on funding sources is available from Contact a Family at: www.cafamily.org.uk/holidays.html.In and around LondonUnder UK law there is a national minimum 'travel permit' that local authorities have to provide as a concession to disabled and elderly people. The London boroughs have put in place schemes that exceed this minimum. The most common scheme is the Freedom Pass. In addition, disabled residents of most boroughs can also apply for the London Taxicard which gives a limited amount of subsidised taxi travel. The Freedom Pass is run by London Councils, formerly called the Association of London Government for the individual London boroughs. It gives free travel on buses, trains, trams, and Underground services in London. Although there are some restrictions on the routes and times that you can use it. The Freedom Pass also gives holders a discount on London River Services. Holders of the Freedom Pass will also be entitled to the additional benefit of free local bus travel anywhere in England between 9.30am and 11.00pm. This additional benefit will be available to all freedom pass holders aged 60 or over, and most holders of the disabled person's freedom pass. A minority of disabled passes are issued at the discretion of the local borough council and so, under government legislation, will not be valid for use outside London. More information about the Freedom Pass can be found at: www.freedompass.org. The London Taxicard Scheme is also managed by London Councils. Taxicard is a method of providing subsidised door-to-door transport for people who have serious mobility impairment and difficulty in using public transport. Taxicard holders make journeys in licensed London taxis and a subsidy applies directly to each trip. More information about the London Taxicard Scheme can be found at: www.taxicard.org.uk. More information about London Councils can be found at: www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. It is important to remember that the Freedom Pass and the London Taxicard Scheme only apples to travel within London. For travel beyond London national schemes are available for rail and coach travel: the Disabled Persons Railcard and the National Express Disabled Persons Discount. Updated: 13.05.08 | Contact: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk |