From 1 April, the concession will enable residents aged 60 or over, or eligible disabled residents in the North East, to travel on any local bus route in England, off-peak, for free. This extends the current national entitlement, which provides free local bus travel solely within a local authority area.
With just a few weeks to go, residents will soon be able to grab a free ticket to ride to places of interest or natural beauty both in the county and further afield. Bus users could take a trip over the border, for example, to see sights and attractions across the region, which were voted for by residents in last year's Pride of Place poll.
These include:
- DURHAM CITY - Cathedral and Castle
- SUNDERLAND - Penshaw Monument and Seaburn Beach
- BLYTH VALLEY - Ridley Park
- CHESTER-LE-STREET - Beamish North of England Open Air Museum
- MIDDLESBROUGH - Transporter Bridge
- REDCAR AND CLEVELAND - Roseberry Topping
And as the scheme is England-wide, eligible bus users can enjoy visiting attractions, accessing services and visiting friends and family across the country too.
Commenting on the scheme, Transport Minister Rosie Winterton said:
"When it comes to local beauty, fantastic shopping facilities and popular visitor attractions across the North East has it all. So our aim is to give eligible bus pass holders throughout the region and beyond the freedom and independence to make the most of the county.
"By providing pass holders with free travel on local bus services all over England, we also hope that the new scheme will appeal to their sense of adventure, encourage them to continue their explorations further afield."
For more information on the new national bus concession visit www.direct.gov.uk/buspass
