Bus pass applications - apply for an older person's or disabled person's bus pass

Bus pass renewals

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Your Central Bedfordshire bus pass will normally be set as due for renewal at the end of June in its year of expiry.

If you've used a standard public bus anywhere in England and your pass has been ‘swiped’ at least once on an electronic ticket machine in the previous 12 months, your pass will be auto-renewed and you do not need to take any action.

Your pass will be sent to you around 1-2 weeks prior to the expiry date of your current pass, to the address we currently hold on record for you.

If you have applied under certain disability categories, your pass may not be auto-renewed and you will need to provide proof of continued eligibility. If you believe this may affect you, please contact us for advice.

If you have not used your pass recently and it has not been renewed, you can apply for a renewal online if it has expired within the last 6 months. If it is longer than this, or you have never used your pass, please call us on 0300 300 8308.

Renew your bus pass online

Continue your existing bus pass renewal

Alternatively, contact our customer services team on 0300 300 8308 to arrange for your pass' renewal. If you are unsure whether you have used it or not, please contact our customer services team on 0300 300 8308 who will be able to ensure your pass is still renewed.

Expired bus passes

If your bus pass expired in the last six months

Renew your bus pass online

Continue your existing bus pass renewal

If your bus pass expired more than six months ago

Please contact our customer services team on 0300 300 8308 or email centralbeds@mybuspass.co.uk and we can arrange for a new bus pass to be sent to you.

You will need to confirm that your personal details and address are correct though, just to ensure that our database is up to date. You do not need to have to make a new application to do this as we will already have your details on record.

Moved house?

If you have moved house since receiving your last bus pass and haven't specifically contacted us to advise your new address, it's likely we'll need your new details in order to send your pass to you. We are always keen to ensure our databases are up to date so we can get in touch with you. If you have recently changed your address, telephone number or email address please let us know by contacting customer services on 0300 300 8308 or email centralbeds@mybuspass.co.uk.

Auto-renewals

Currently, the government is reducing the amount of money it spends in many areas – this is known as austerity and has resulted in the reduction in funding provided to local authorities.

Decisions have to be made by local authorities as to where the funding should be allocated. Bus service funding is only a discretionary (optional) service and local authorities are not obliged to fund buses which have resulted in less money is being allocated to them.

However, administering a concessionary pass scheme is a compulsory service so we must provide it although we must look for ways of increasing efficiency overall.

Auto-renewals in the event of someone passing away

In previous years, a significant number of passes that were auto-renewed were returned to us due to the holders having passed away or moved out of Central Bedfordshire and we had not been informed.

Unfortunately, in some cases, this was distressing for people to receive a new pass for a deceased relative.

We have since improved the cleansing and management of our pass database and now regularly update it and annul records of those customers who have passed away.

Unless your relative has passed away within the last 4 weeks it is likely we will already have received their details from the Registrar of Deaths and their pass record will have been annulled.

You are welcome to confirm this with customer services in order to ensure the record is annulled.

Using bus passes before 9:30am

You will be able to continue using your pass 24 hours a day for travel within Central Bedfordshire.

In early 2017, Bedford Borough Council introduced a scheme to pay £1 to travel prior to 9:30am so, in this case, if your journey commences within Central Bedfordshire, it will still be free. If you need to make an onward journey within Bedford Borough prior to 9:30am you will have to pay for this.

Bus pass validity

Concessionary passes are valid on all buses operating within Central Bedfordshire regardless of the operator. The ENCTS concessionary pass scheme is a mandatory scheme by the central government and local authorities have to administer it and follow its rules.

The scheme states that all local authorities must offer free travel for pass holders from 9:30am to 11pm weekdays and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Some pass holders have asked if they could pay a small fee each time they use their pass, to support the bus pass scheme. Unfortunately, we are unable to change these government rules. This means neither us nor the bus operators, can accept any payments as part of the concessionary scheme. However, pass holders are free to pay the full adult fare for their journey rather than use their concessionary pass should they wish to support the bus service further.

Difficulties with renewing passes

If you are disabled are having difficulties renewing your pass, then we can help.

Our customer services will be able to support you if you need help to apply or renew your pass - contact customer services on 0300 300 8308 or email centralbeds@mybuspass.co.uk.