The Concessionary Bus Travel (Permits)(England) Regulations 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Regulation 2 specifies the form for the free concessionary travel permits to be issued to elderly persons and disabled persons by travel concession authorities in England. The required elements on the face of the permits will be–

• a red rose symbol;

• a red ribbon symbol;

• the name or initials of the issuing authority and a symbol of that authority or its name or initials or a symbol sufficient to identify the authority;

• a hologram;

• a colour strip indicating whether the holder is an elderly person (blue) or a disabled person (orange);

• a picture of the person to whom the permit is issued and that person’s name;

• a trademark (denoting use of the chip mentioned in regulation 2(11));

• the expiry date (which must be no more than 5 years after the date of issue);

• the words “Concessionary travel funded by HM Government with your local authority”;

• an electronic chip in a standard format (regulation 2(11)).

No other material is allowed on the face of the permit, other than an indication of the extent or nature of the concession obtainable by use of the permit, which must (if included) appear in the area on the permit allocated to the identification of the issuing authority.

Details of the format of the specified electronic chip may be obtained from ITSO Limited, whose registered office is c/o Centro Room 122, 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, West Midlands, B19 3SD.

The reverse of the permit must include a statement that terms and conditions apply to the use of the permit and a telephone number to which loss or theft of the permit may be reported.

Regulation 3 allows authorities in Greater London to issue, until 31st March 2010, a permit in the form of a sticker attached to an existing concessionary pass and which does not contain an electronic chip.

Regulation 4 allows authorities outside Greater London to issue, until 30th September 2008, temporary permits in a form which does not include an electronic chip.

A temporary pass issued under regulation 3 may not have an expiry date after 31st March (regulations 3(3)). A temporary pass issued under regulation 4 must have 30th September 2008 as its expiry date (regulation 4(4)).

Regulation 5 specifies that any date required to be included in a permit must be expressed in the order day, month and year. The day is to be expressed in two digits and the year in four digits, while the month is to be expressed in the form of the first three letters of the name of the month (thus, for example, 01 Apr 2008). This regulation does not, however, apply in relation to sticker permits issued by authorities in Greater London pursuant to regulation 3.

An impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of local authorities is available from the Department for Transport at 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR (e-mail address [e-mail]) and is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the instrument on the OPSI website (www.opsi.gov.uk). Copies have been placed in the libraries of each House of Parliament. No impact is foreseen on the business or voluntary sectors.