National / countywide free bus permit
An application for a free National / Countywide Bus Permit MUST be made in person by the applicant at either St Albans District Council Offices or at Harpenden Town Council. All applicants will need to provide a recent colour passport photograph when making an application.
Anyone of pensionable age (see below) and disabled persons not of pensionable age are entitled to apply for a free bus permit. The permit allows free travel on local buses in Hertfordshire at anytime of day and free off peak local BUS travel within England. Once your application has been dealt with if you qualify for a Bus Permit it will be posted out to you (It takes 2 to 3 weeks for your permit to be processed).
For more information about Bus Permits you can go to www.direct.gov.uk/buspass
For Travel Enquiries you can go to www.intalink.org.uk or telephone 0871 200 22 33
For enquiries about making an application or about a replacement bus permit you can telephone St Albans District Council on (01727) 819213.
Who can apply for a bus permit?
1) A person of 'pensionable age' who is a permanent resident of the St Albans District.
Please note that prior to the 6th April 2010 you were considered to be of pensionable age if you were aged 60 or over. However, over the next 10 years the age at which someone is considered to be a pensioner is to be raised to 65. This means that if you were born between the 6th April 1950 and the 5th April 1955 you will no longer be considered a pensioner on your 60th birthday. Please see the table below entitled 'Retirement Age Table' to see when you will become eligible for a bus permit.
2) A disabled person not entitled to a permit on age grounds who is a permanent resident of the St Albans District and meets one of the following criteria:
A. Blind or Partially sighted
B. Profoundly or severely deaf
C. Without speech
D. Have a permanent disability or have suffered an injury which has a substantial long term adverse effect on your ability to walk
E. Do not have arms or have long term loss of the use of both arms
F. Have a learning disability that is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind, which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
G. Ineligible for a Driving Licence on medical grounds (except on the grounds of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol)
For further information on Government guidance about eligible disabilities, click here.
All applicants will need to supply one of the following as proof of residency:
A recent utility bill
A current Council Tax Bill
A recent Bank Statement showing your address
A current Tenancy Agreement
Recent letter from the Department of Work and Pensions or Inland Revenue
All applicants of pensionable age will also have to supply one of the following:
Birth Certificate
Passport
Driving Licence
All applicants applying for a disabled person’s bus permit will also have to supply one of the following as proof of disability:
Notification of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance
Notification of the War Disablement Pension mobility supplement
Registered Partially Sighted / Blind Certificate
Herts County Council Sensory Disability Card indicating either Blind, Partially Sighted or Profoundly Deaf
Letter from the DVLA revoking your Driving Licence
If the application cannot supply one of these documents, please call Bus Permit Team for advice on (01727) 819213.
Replacement permits
If your Bus Permit and / or Photocard is lost, stolen or damaged you can obtain a replacement. Permits which have been stolen are replaced free of charge on the production of a police crime number, replacements in all other circumstances incur a charge of £5.00, payable by cheque, debit card or postal order.
Lost permits must be reported to the council immediately and the holder will be advised to wait 1 week in case the permit is handed in or returned to the council via the freepost address. You will be contacted by a member of the Bus Permit Section if your permit is returned to the council offices.
You can get a replacement Bus Permit / Photocard at the District Council Offices or from Harpenden Town Council. Please note that when ordering a replacement you will not need provide us with another passport size photograph.
Date of last review: 05 April 2010