Disabled adult

Wheelchair user boarding bus

If you are disabled (see below for details of which disabilities apply), live in Tyne and Wear and have a Concessionary Travel Pass, you can travel on buses for free.

Metro journeys are not free of charge but you can avoid paying full fares after 9.30am by buying a Metro Gold Card. Metro Gold Cards can only be used with a valid CT Pass. They are also valid on the Shields Ferry and rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland.

Does your CT Pass expire between April and June 2013?

If your pass expires between April and June 2013, you need to apply to renew it by completing an application form at a Nexus TravelShop, or posting an application form to Nexus House. Renewal of a CT pass is free of charge, however if a change of name or photo is required, a £5 replacement fee will be applicable.

Am I eligible for a CT Pass?

Everyone applying for the Concessionary Travel Scheme on grounds of disability has to be initially assessed by the Social Services department of their Local Authority. You should, therefore, contact them for advice on what you need to take with you.

Telephone numbers are -

Gateshead – 0191 433 8800

Newcastle – 0191 278 8100

North Tyneside – 0345 200 0101

South Tyneside – 0845 130 4959

Sunderland – 0191 520 5510

If you are eligible for a Concessionary Travel Pass, you will be given a Confirmation of Eligibility form.

If you have one of the following types of disability and live in Tyne and Wear, you may be entitled to a Concessionary Travel Pass:

Blind or partially sighted
Profoundly or severely deaf
Without speech
Have a disability which means that you cannot walk except with excessive labour, at an extremely slow pace or with excessive pain.
Do not have arms or have a long term loss of the use of both arms
Have a learning disability
Someone who has been, or would be, refused a driving licence on certain medical grounds

Further information regarding the definition of these criteria is available from Social Services.

If you qualify under one of the above categories and attend college or are in paid employment for at least 15 hours a week, you can apply for an All Day Concessionary Travel Pass, which can be used at any time

How to apply

You will need to send us the following:

A completed application form.
A colour passport photo (not scanned and not using your own camera/phone) attached to the application form in the box provided.
Your Confirmation of Eligibility form.
Proof that your permanent address is in Tyne and Wear – for example a council tax, gas, electricity or phone bill. Please send a photocopy if you are applying by post.
An envelope with your name, address and a stamp on. We need this even if you take your application in to a TravelShop, so the pass can be posted back to you.
All Day Pass applicants – a letter from your employer/tutor confirming that you will be attending paid work or college for at least 15 hours a week for 6 months or more. This must be on official letterhead, be dated within the last 3 months and must not be a photocopy.
£5 - if you are applying for a replacement pass (by cheque or postal order made payable to Nexus if applying by post; cash or credit card if via a TravelShop).

Where do I send my application?

Either hand it in at any Nexus TravelShop or post it to us at -

Concessionary Travel

Nexus, Nexus House,

St James’ Boulevard,

Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4AX

If you have any questions about applying for your pass, or the Concessionary Travel scheme, please call 0191 20 20 747 or go to nexus.org.uk

With a CT Pass you can travel -

free of charge on buses in Tyne and Wear from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
free anywhere else in England on local buses, between 9.30am and 11.00pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
for 60p on the Shields Ferry from 9.30am Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays
for 50p on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Metrocentre/Blaydon, from 9.30am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.

Please note that there are no discounted fares on Metro, or on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland, for Concessionary Travel Pass holders. However, you can have unlimited travel on Metro, on Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland and also the Shields Ferry if you buy a Metro Gold Card. Pick up a leaflet for more information.

If you have an All Day pass, you will be able to travel on buses in Tyne and Wear free of charge all day, for 60p per trip at any time on the Shields Ferry and for 50p on rail services between Newcastle and Metrocentre/Blaydon. Please note that your pass does not entitle you to all day travel outside Tyne and Wear.

If you need to travel before 9.30am in order to get to or from a hospital appointment, just show your hospital appointment card or letter with your CT Pass when requested. Please note that this only applies to journeys starting in Tyne and Wear

I've lost my pass - what do I do?

If you think you lost your pass while using public transport, please contact the appropriate operator. Call Nexus on 0191 20 20 747 if you are unsure which operator's service you were on.

If the operator has not found your pass, you will need to complete an application form. A replacement Concessionary Travel Pass costs £5.

My pass is about to run out – how do I renew it?

You can renew your pass during the month that it runs out or in the month before that. You will need to complete a new application form. There is no charge for renewing your Concessionary Travel Pass. You do not need to send in your current or expired CT Pass when you renew it.

You will need to send us the following:

Completed application form
A stamped self-addressed envelope

Can I travel free of charge to early morning hospital appointments?

Yes, if you need to travel before 9.30am in order to get to or from a hospital appointment, just show your hospital appointment card or letter with your CT Pass or Metro Gold Card when requested.

GP confirmation form

If you qualify for the scheme because of refusal/revocation of a driving licence, you will need your GP to confirm your eligibility using the 'GP confirmation form' which you can download at the bottom of this page, or call 0191 20 20 747 and we'll send one out to you.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme includes Service personnel and veterans under the age of 60, who were seriously injured in service and who are resident in England. There is automatic eligibility for seriously injured veterans and Service personnel who have been awarded a guaranteed income payment for tariffs levels 1-8 under the 2005 Armed forces Compensation Scheme. This evidence can be used to prove eligibility.

If you meet these criteria, and are resident in Tyne and Wear, you can apply to Nexus for an English National Concessionary Travel pass, providing evidence as above.

Keeping us informed

Please keep us informed of any changes to your details, eg change of address. We will need to be sent documentation confirming the change before we update our records. There will be a £5 charge if we need to issue a new pass (eg for change of name or photo).

You can also contact us at this address or phone number to inform us of the death of a passholder. This will ensure that they are removed from our database, and you will receive no further correspondence from us.

Companion Card

A Companion Card lets you take someone with you free of charge when you travel on buses in Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland. It’s available to residents of Tyne and Wear who receive certain allowances and are not able to travel without a companion. For full details of this scheme, click here.

How to use your Concessionary Travel Pass

On buses – show the driver your pass when you board the bus after 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday.

On the Shields Ferry – show the ferry operator your pass to buy your 60p ticket from 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday.

On Northern Rail services between Newcastle and MetroCentre/Blaydon – from 9.30am Monday-Friday, all day at weekends and on public holidays, either buy your 50p ticket from a ticket machine or buy it from the conductor; you will need to show the conductor your pass. You must pay the full adult fare before 9.30am Monday-Friday.

On all Metro services and Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland, if you do not have a Metro Gold Card, you must pay the full adult fare at all times.

How to use your Metro Gold Card

On Metro – show an inspector your Metro Gold Card when requested, from 9.30am Monday-Friday and all day at weekends, on public holidays and throughout July and August. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.

On the Shields Ferry - show the ferry operator your Metro Gold Card when you board, from 9.30am Monday-Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.

On Northern Rail services between Newcastle and Sunderland – from 9.30 Monday-Friday and all day at weekends, on public holidays and throughout July and August, show the conductor your Metro Gold Card. You must pay the full adult fare at all other times.

How to use your All Day Concessionary Travel Pass

On buses – show the driver your pass when you board the bus.

On the Shields Ferry – show the ferry operator your pass to buy your 60p ticket.

On Northern Rail services between Newcastle and MetroCentre/Blaydon - either buy your 50p ticket from a ticket machine or buy it from the conductor; you will need to show the conductor your pass.