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  6. SmartCities card terms and conditions

SmartCities card terms and conditions

  • The card must be used according to the terms and conditions laid down by the individual services offered on the card

  • Smartcities means Smartcities, Civic Centre, Southampton, SO14 7LY

  • Any information provided for Smartcities card applications will be held by Southampton City Council (SCC) in accordance with its obligations under data protection legislation. Further information about the Council’s handling of your personal data, and details of SCC’s Data Protection Officer can be found in its Privacy policy. If you have any questions relating to the use of your data, please contact SmartCities. The information provided will be used for the purposes of issuing and maintaining your Smartcities card. As part of this process we may check the information you have provided or obtain details from other sources within the Council to make sure the information is accurate and complete, for example the Blue Badge Team or Social Services. If you apply for Get Active your information will be shared with the participating leisure centres. We will not share your information with third parties or other SCC departments for any other purpose unless provided for by law.

    This council is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers and to this end may use the information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. It may also share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for these purposes.

  • Any individual over the age of 3 years can apply for a Smartcities card. Only one Smartcities card will be issued to an individual.

  • Only the cardholder may take advantage of the Smartcities card. It is not transferable.

  • The card will need to be produced whenever the cardholder wishes to take advantage of the services offered by Smartcities.

  • All lost and stolen cards must be reported within 72 hours to Smartcities. Cards that are lost, stolen or damaged will be replaced after an administration fee is received, unless a police crime reference number is supplied (only one card per year will be reissued free of charge when a crime reference number is provided).

  • When a cardholder changes their name, a new card will be created after fulfilling authentication needs and there will be no charge.

  • Smartcities must be notified immediately of any change of address or circumstance.

  • It is the responsibility of the cardholder to provide Smartcities with correct information.

  • Smartcities reserve the right to withdraw or amend the Smartcities card with reasonable notice/or no notice.

  • Smartcities will not be liable for any mistakes and/or omissions made by the cardholder at any time.

  • Periodically we will contact you to ensure that the information we hold is up to date.

  • The Smartcities card remains the property of Southampton City Council and must be returned upon request.

  • Smartcities accepts no responsibility for the loss or damage to original documents submitted for use in the application process.

Get Active

  • Anyone aged 3 years or over may apply for a Get Active subscription. Applicants must live within the Southampton City Council boundary.

  • The Smartcities card must be produced with a valid Get Active subscription to obtain a reduced rate, otherwise the full charges must be paid.

  • Get Active subscribers may not book in advance for reduced rate sessions at participating Southampton leisure venues.

  • To obtain Get Active rates for individual court hire all players must be in possession of a Get Active subscription.

  • The Get Active subscription is valid at off peak times. At all other times the standard rate will be applicable. It does not exist for all services e.g. club/group bookings and team sports are excluded.

  • Applicants receiving a Get Active subscription must notify Smartcities immediately if their circumstances, or those of their dependants change, or if they cease to qualify for any other reason.

  • The Get Active subscription will need to be renewed every 12 months, and all relevant documentation must be shown at time of renewal. This will be updated on your existing card

  • Southampton City Council reserves the right to amend or withdraw all or part of the benefits at any time.

  • Use of fitness suites is subject to an induction.

  • Carers accompanying a person who qualifies under the disabled category are entitled to free access to assist the person with the disability. It is the carer’s responsibility to support the individual whilst undertaking the activity.

Concessionary Bus Pass

  • The concessionary bus pass can only be used by the cardholder, as per the concessionary scheme administered by Southampton City Council. The cardholder may be accompanied by a companion in accordance with the conditions of the scheme.

  • Fraudulent use of this pass will result in its withdrawal and may lead to prosecution.

  • Passengers using this pass will be carried as per the conditions of carriage of the bus company on which they are travelling.

  • The concessionary bus pass is only valid for off-peak travel except in the case of Blind persons, as described below. National off-peak is defined as between 09:30-23:00 Monday to Friday, and at any time at weekends and bank holidays. Local off-peak travel is defined as between 09:00-23:59 and any time at weekends and bank holidays.

  • Local off-peak times may be subject to change.

  • Blind persons are permitted to travel free at any time; however, when travelling before 09:30 they can only travel free on a bus service which starts in Southampton on a direct route, on production of their concessionary bus pass featuring a green triangle.

  • Concessionary bus cardholders must notify the Smartcities bureau immediately if their circumstances change, or if they cease to qualify for any other reason.

  • Applicants for the concessionary bus pass must be over 5 years of age, as under 5’s travel free

  • Any fee incurred for the completion of a Medical Evidence form must be met by the applicant.

Companion Bus Pass

  • A bus pass containing the letter ‘C’ means that the holder cannot travel alone on a bus at any time.

  • Travel will be refused if a pass containing the letter ‘C’ is presented to a bus driver by a person who is unaccompanied and the companion and the pass holder will be required to alight at the same time.

  • The companion can only travel free of charge when boarding a bus within the Southampton City Council boundary. Full fare will be required for the companion if boarding outside of the boundary (companion passes are not part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme).

Itchen Bridge service

  • Where possible the Itchen Bridge concession will be added to the applicants Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass.

  • The Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass must be used at all times on the Itchen Bridge to receive your respective concession. Failure to produce a valid card will result in the appropriate full toll charge being levied and paid for in cash at the time of crossing.

  • If the person to whom the Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass was issued is not in the vehicle then the appropriate toll charge will be made.

  • The Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass must not under any circumstances be deliberately damaged, defaced, altered, copied, passed, loaned, given or sold to a third party.

  • Suspected transactions will be traced through our database and breaches of these terms and conditions could result in:

    1. Immediate and permanent withdrawal of this concession save where theft has been reported prior to the uses of the Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass. (A police crime reference number will be required).
    2. The full cash toll being demanded from the driver of the vehicle at the time.
    3. Possible prosecution
    4. Administrative charge £15.00

Applicants receiving a concession for the Itchen Bridge crossing must notify Smartcities immediately if their circumstances change, e.g. moving out of the area, or ceasing to receive the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment at 8 points or above against the ‘moving around’ activity.

The loss of the Smartcities card or concessionary bus pass must be reported within 72 hours to our contact centre on 023 8083 3008. The opening hours are:

  • Monday: 8.30am to 5pm
  • Tuesday: 8.30am to 5pm
  • Wednesday: 9am to 5pm
  • Thursday: 8.30am to 5pm
  • Friday: 8.30am to 4.30pm
  • Closed bank holidays

Outside these hours reports can be made to our emergency line: 023 8043 1040.

  • Cards that are lost, stolen or damaged will be replaced after an administration fee is received, unless a police crime reference number is supplied (only one card per year will be reissued free of charge when a crime reference number is provided).

  • The Itchen Bridge provides a toll exemption for eligible disabled people providing evidence of qualification. The scheme provides the disabled person with a Smartcities or Concessionary bus pass to enable them free crossing in their class 2 vehicles. Class 2 vehicles are cars and light vans with a height measured at the first axle of no more than 1.33 metres.

  • Concessions are available to residents of Southampton - i.e. Southampton council tax payers only. The concession applies to cars and light vans in class 2 only.

  • Peak Periods are: Mon-Fri 7-9:30am and 4-6:30pm. Off-peak: any other time as stated above including weekends

  • Itchen Bridge accounts can be closed when no longer required. An administration fee of £10 will be deducted from any remaining credit which would be refunded.