The English National Concessionary bus pass will enable eligible users to get free off-peak travel on local buses anywhere in England.
Anyone who is of a penionable age, or an eligible disabled person and lives in England, is eligible.
To find out the date on which you become eligible for your English National Concessionary bus pass, please see the Bus pass age qualification leaflet also available in Southampton libraries, local housing offices or in Gateway in the Civic Centre. You can also telephone Smartcities on: 023 8083 4222.
To find out if you are eligible disabled, please see section 4 in the Smartcities application form below.
Southampton City Council residents starting their journey within Southampton will be able to travel between 09.00am and midnight, Mondays to Fridays and anytime at weekends and bank holidays. For journeys starting outside Southampton you must hold an ENC pass and you can travel between 09.30 and 23.00 Mondays to Fridays and anytime at weekends and bank holidays.
Off peak hours are 9.30 am until 11pm Monday-Friday, and all day weekends and bank holidays.
In Southampton the main local buses include the First Bus Company, Solent Blue Line, Wilts & Dorset and Uni-link. Other areas have different local bus companies. If in doubt, please check with the service operator.
The English National Concessionary bus pass applies to local bus travel only.
Probably not. As a general rule, local authorities will only provide additional services for their own residents. Please check with the relevant authority in the area to which you intend to travel.
If you are eligible you can still apply for a companion pass for local travel. Your companion can only travel free, and only within the Southampton City Council boundary, when accompanying you.
You will need to provide evidence of being in receipt of the higher rate of the care or mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, attendance allowance or war pensioner's mobility supplement or a sensory services registration card confirming that you are blind, partially sighted, deaf or without speech and a letter from a medically qualified practitioner confirming that you are unable to travel alone for medical reasons.
You can travel across England, including the Isle of Wight. This means you cannot travel free in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Blind people will have a disabled bus pass with a small green triangle.
Blind persons are permitted to travel free at any time. However, when travelling before 9.30am they are confined to the local bus scheme. This means that they can travel on any bus service, which starts in Southampton and goes on a direct route, on production of their concessionary bus pass featuring a green triangle.
Application forms are available from Gateway at One Guildhall Square (on the site of the old C&A building opposite the Guildhall), local libraries, and local housing offices and can be printed from our website here. Applications are made in person at any of these venues.
If you are applying for your pensionable age bus pass you will be able to apply online.
For information about renewing an expiring bus pass please see the 'How to renew your bus pass' link on the left side of this page.
You need to complete an application form and provide one proof of address which should not be older than 3 months, and one proof of personal identification which can be your passport, your driving licence, your birth certificate or medical card. You also need to attach a clear and recent colour passport photograph with light background. If you are under pensionable age you will need to provide evidence that you qualify for the bus pass from section four of the application form.
If you are applying for your pensionable age bus pass you can apply online and we will do an automated check to confirm your eligibility.
Please take your completed form with the required documents to any Southampton library, local housing office or to Gateway at One Guildhall Square (on the site of the old C&A building opposite the Guildhall).
By letter or email which gives your name, date of birth, old address and new address or you can visit Gateway with an official letter which contains your name and new address.
Your concessionary bus pass/Smartcities card has an embedded memory chip and stores data electronically. The diagram below shows a cross section of a smartcard. The memory chip stores data and the antenna allows the chip to talk to a reader without touching it.
To keep your card in good working condition it needs to be kept dry, in a flat position in a separate wallet. If your card has been bent the antenna may become detached from the microchip. This would mean that it would not work on the ticket machines on the buses or on any other scanning devices. Deep scratches, friction or excessive pressure can also cause damage to the chip or antenna.
Your Smartcities card, if used and kept correctly should have a lifetime of at least 5 years. Please note that there is an administration fee for the replacement of cards which have been damaged or lost.
Southampton City Council
