New concessionary travel arrangements

New arrangements for concessionary travel passes are coming into effect from next month.

On April 1 Warwickshire County Council is taking over the running of the scheme which provides passes to older people and people with disabilities from district and borough councils.

Prior to the handover, the county council can announce the appointment of Jo Cooper as the new Concessionary Travel Manager.

Jo said: “I look forward to ensuring that we deliver a high quality service to our eligible residents. Existing pass holders should be reassured that for the majority there will be no noticeable changes in the service and that they only need to contact us if they require a new one or change their address details."

Concessionary Travel is a national scheme that enables qualifying individuals to travel free off peak on local buses throughout England. Passes are provided to 100,000 Warwickshire residents who are eligible through either retirement age or a qualifying disability.

The scheme in Warwickshire currently allows for an additional half hour free travel from 9am Monday to Friday and all day at the weekend and Bank Holidays.

Cllr Alan Cockburn, Warwickshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Environment and Economy added: “We will endeavour to make sure there is a smooth transition when the county council takes over the management of the concessionary travel scheme from next month. Residents can find out more by visiting our dedicated web pages at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/concessionary travel."

To apply for a new pass or change address, residents can visit any One Stop Shop in Warwickshire. For general enquiries please call Concessionary Travel on 01926 418026.

The new arrangements will mean no new companion passes will be issued from April 1. These are currently only provided by Warwick District and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Councils. All existing passes will be honoured until their expiry date.

For more information please visit the website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/concessionarytravel