The National Bus Pass Scheme for the 60s and over and qualifying Disabled persons has been up and running for just over three months now and as a bus driver myself it can be one heck of a headache dealing with enquiries at times but the rule is simple enough. AFTER 09:30hrs you can travel free ANYWHERE in ENGLAND ONLY, Monday-Friday. ( Wales Ireland and Scotland are NOT included) Before that time ,you must either pay half fare, or even FULL fare, depending on the relevant Counties rules. Derbyshire County Council have NO half fare concession at all which means ALL their OAP pass holders pay FULL FARE before 09:30hrs as must ALL visiting OAP pass holders from other counties. Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Days (usually Monday's) are FREE travel all day. which means from the first bus in the morning unti; the last bus in the evening of normal, scheduled service. Be warned that extra late night buses that operate AFTER midnight, especially during the early hours of Friday's and Saturday's are not subsidised by the Councils,therefore the National passes are NOT valid on them so check with the area's bus operators carefully. With qualifying disabled persons, there are some national passes that allow a companion to travel free of charge, but this is subject to certain conditions and not all Counties subsidise the Companion status. For example, Derbyshire do not issue a "Holder and Companion Card, only a " Disabled holder only!" to their qualifying residents. Companions cannot travel on their pass free with them, therfore any visiting Disabled and Companion card holders from another county ie: Nottinghamshire, the Companion travelling with the Disabled Holder of the card CANNOT travel free around Derbyshire, nor board free of charge ANYWHERE in Derbyshire to go back over the County Border. Where the Holder and Companion status is subsidised by the relevant county then its no problem for visiting card holders withn their companions. All holders qualify no matter where there board or alight, but certain counties have certain rules. Please, please... will all of you consider this before you board a bus in the National Travel Scheme. The Bus Companies and the drivers are bound over by the County Council Rules. The Councils set the conditions and ALWAYS HAVE.There are people who are employed by the councils as "spies" to check up that the drivers are playing by and enforcing the rules. Asking a driver to keep making an exception or to keep bending the rules a little, could cost him/her their job!. I should know.! In late of May, three drivers from my company were given verbal warnings for letting on people with these passes, well before the 09:30am "watershed". Remember, by "pushing your luck", every individual who gets away with boarding early, is costing the Councils money but then there are always going to be those that spoil it for those who abide by the rules. This scheme is already plunging Councils into the "red" financially and they have admitted, how long they can afford to subsidise it remains to be seen. Enjoy it while you can out there. Regards Connie

Sorry just seen the date on this question.

If you're a pensioner you are entitled to use any bus in England. Not Wales or Scotland. You can't use trains anywhere but your own area. You should have already received a new replacement bus pass. If you have only just reached 60 female/65 male and not sent for your bus pass yet they won't know you. We used ours in London in August and friends used theirs in Oxford no trouble at all. But we have seen in a local paper that others are having trouble using it much closer to home so not all bus drivers are up to sped with this presumable. If you haven't received one find out who deals with them in your area and contact them. Happy travelling.

I live in North Yorkshire and we have been kept informed very well by the Council. We will all receive new passes in late March. This will allow us to travel on all local buses throughout England (not sure about Scotland or Wales) free of charge. There is a time limit on the pass where it will not be able to be used before about 9.30 but we will be able to use our existing pass from 9am anyway. It is going to make a big difference and I am looking forward to it very much as my husband and I use the buses a great deal already. Hope this helps.