Changes to the Nottingham City Concessionary Travel Scheme from 1st April 2011
Senior Citycard weekday concession
This will fall in line with the national statutory scheme for local buses but will still include the tram as a locally provided add-on. Free travel will be available on buses and Nottingham’s trams from 0930 to 2300 hours on weekdays and all day at weekends and bank holidays.
This means that from the 1st April 2011 Senior Citycard holders will no longer be able to travel free before 7:30am and after 11:00pm on weekdays, Normal fares will apply during these times.
Mobility Citycard changes at pensionable age.
Mobility Citycard benefits will move in line with those of Senior Citycard holders when residents reach pensionable age. Existing Mobility Citycard holders will automatically be sent a Senior Citycard on reaching pensionable age.
Mobility Citycard and companion entitlement
Entitlement for free companion travel in Nottingham will be subject to independent assesment and restrictred to those Mobility and Senior Citycard holders who are blind, wheelchair bound or have servere learning dificulties. All existing card holders will be reassessed under the new criteria, between 1st April 2011 and 1st April 2013.
Mobility Citycard application process
New applications will be assesed and existing ones reassessed on the basis of national guidelines relating to the new national scheme, using an independent process and evidence base similar to the national Blue Badge scheme.
Applicants who bring proof that they recieve either the Higher Mobility component of the DLA, a blind / visually impaired registration card, a letter from DVLA givig notice of refusal / withdrawel of a driving licence or Blue Badge entitlement will not be referred for an independent medical assesment.
What happens after I have handed in my application....
You will be asked to make an appointment with the independent assesor who will offer you an appointment within 2 weeks (this prosses must not take longer than 4 weeks). We will produce your Citycard and post it out you within 10 working days after you have passed the assesment.
New Senior Companion Pass
From 1st April 2011 a new card category will be introduced. The Senior Companion card will be available to qualifying City resident of retirement age* who are one of the following categories:
- visually impaired
- wheelchair users
- has a learning disability that prevents them from travelling alone.
The Senior Companion card gives the same travel benefits as the Senior Citycard with the addition that the Senior Companion card allows a companion to travel with the card holder for journeys wholly within the Citycard area.
* Retirement age as determined by the current State Pension Age for women. For more information you can visit the Directgov website at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionandretirementplanning/StatePension/DG_4017919