Yorkshire to Cornwall on a bus pass
- Thread starter Shirl
- Start date
Thanks, I'll note that one. Hebden - Manchester. Manchester - Derby. looking good
We're hoping to go fairly direct but then we may divert a little in order to scrounge a bed for the night.
This is mainly a challenge to get there for nowt transport wise although I reckon we might have to factor in a Travel Inn or two along the way 
ChrisD
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X53 Weymouth to Exeter (especially if double decker)
X53 and X31 Jurassic Coaster Bus Services - Jurassic Coast
then keep along the coast Exeter to Torbay or (depending on where in Cornwall you are heading) there are busses from Exeter to Bude which sometimes connect to onward services to Wadebridge.
http://www.devon.gov.uk/bustrainguide-exeter.pdf
I'm very jealous as I hit 60 this year but the qualifying age seems to be rising with the pension age so I think have another 7 years to go....... enjoy the trip. Give me a shout if stopping in Exeter
X53 and X31 Jurassic Coaster Bus Services - Jurassic Coast
then keep along the coast Exeter to Torbay or (depending on where in Cornwall you are heading) there are busses from Exeter to Bude which sometimes connect to onward services to Wadebridge.
http://www.devon.gov.uk/bustrainguide-exeter.pdf
I'm very jealous as I hit 60 this year but the qualifying age seems to be rising with the pension age so I think have another 7 years to go....... enjoy the trip. Give me a shout if stopping in Exeter
muscovyduck
Good IT skills and food hygiene competent
Rail replacement Worcester to Hereford
My mate who's only three years younger than me has to wait until 2020 to get hers,I got mine at 61 and have just got my new one good until 2022,it's an unfair lottery.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
broadly speaking, you can't use concessionary bus passes on rail replacement services - these are put on for rail passengers and you should have a rail ticket to travel on them.
the line between bus (on which you can use a pass) and coach (on which you can't) is a bit fuzzy round the edges - there are some services that look like coaches but are legally bus services (e.g. the London - Windsor / Bracknell 'Green Line' service)
there are also exemptions from the concessionary travel scheme for some 'tourist' services (I can't remember the exact grounds for this, i think that services that operate less than X days a year can be outside the scheme)
acceptance of passes outside the Monday to Friday limits (0930 to 2300) is also variable - there are still a few places that will allow travel outside these times, although it may be limited to passholders from that local authority only.
Have fun - one of my former colleagues did a round England tour - he retired around the time the english national scheme came in.
the line between bus (on which you can use a pass) and coach (on which you can't) is a bit fuzzy round the edges - there are some services that look like coaches but are legally bus services (e.g. the London - Windsor / Bracknell 'Green Line' service)
there are also exemptions from the concessionary travel scheme for some 'tourist' services (I can't remember the exact grounds for this, i think that services that operate less than X days a year can be outside the scheme)
acceptance of passes outside the Monday to Friday limits (0930 to 2300) is also variable - there are still a few places that will allow travel outside these times, although it may be limited to passholders from that local authority only.
Have fun - one of my former colleagues did a round England tour - he retired around the time the english national scheme came in.
We'll skip that one then.Rail replacement Worcester to Hereford
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
i would also say get on with it and check information frequently. a lot of councils are cutting financial support for non commercial bus services, a lot are likely to go come the new financial year...
at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, www.traveline.info is usually up to date (although not infallible)
the likes of tourist info centres are not always dependable for bus information (and for that matter some councils have cut printed information on the basis that it's all on the interweb) - i have known TICs not put new bus timetables out on the basis of 'wanting to use up old stock' -
at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, www.traveline.info is usually up to date (although not infallible)
the likes of tourist info centres are not always dependable for bus information (and for that matter some councils have cut printed information on the basis that it's all on the interweb) - i have known TICs not put new bus timetables out on the basis of 'wanting to use up old stock' -
catinthehat
Failed VK = Replicant
I'm so happy to hear that you are doing this - myself and a mate discussed the possibility of doing this but gave up post back of fag packet stage. Good luck with it and please post your stories!
Change of plan due to me starting a new business next week. 
We are now heading for Brighton and we want to spend a bit of time checking out charity shops and walking a few miles each day. Cornwall would take longer than we can afford to take off work.
So far we've planned Yorkshire to Southwold and from there we'll follow the coast more or less to Brighton.
We are now heading for Brighton and we want to spend a bit of time checking out charity shops and walking a few miles each day. Cornwall would take longer than we can afford to take off work.
So far we've planned Yorkshire to Southwold and from there we'll follow the coast more or less to Brighton.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
further to the above comment re the difference between bus / coach services, there's an interesting situation with the express service between Nottingham and Derby.
Nottingham City Council have argued it's a 'premium' service so won't reimburse the bus company for concessionary pass-holder journeys starting on their patch.
Derby City Council are still OK with it.
more here.
(reimbursement to bus companies for journeys made by concessionary pass holders is the responsibility of the local authority where the journey starts, irrespective of where the journey ends, or which English authority issued the pass. The basics are guaranteed by law, but councils can decide to fund something over and above the basic legal requirement.)
Make sure you use the loo before boarding. It's a long ride otherwise, although I would recommend breaking the journey in Buxton or Bakewell anyway.
That is such a beautiful photo, it's got everything. Cornwall be be the following year or I might just drive down there at some point. We last went to Cornwall round about 2000 and that's much too long ago.If you do make it down here Shirl the open-topped bus that goes from St Ives to Lands End is a beautiful trip:
You can use OAP bus passes on most off-peak journeys anywhere in England
Concessionary fares for older passengers in England - Citizens Advice
hash tag
Books, not bombs
Shirl best wishes with the new work, hope all goes well; sorry the bus rip has been dropped though.
If anyone else is interested, as soon as the bus passes became a nationwide thing, someone immediately set out on the Lands End to John O'Groats route and would cover much of the route you would have used...From Land's End to John o'Groats by bus pass of course, there is a book Lands End to John O'Groats with a Bus Pass and a Dog: Amazon.co.uk: Eric Newton: 9781456796754: Books.
This may also have helped with inspiration Bus-Pass Britain by Nicky Gardner, Susanne Kries | Waterstones
If anyone else is interested, as soon as the bus passes became a nationwide thing, someone immediately set out on the Lands End to John O'Groats route and would cover much of the route you would have used...From Land's End to John o'Groats by bus pass of course, there is a book Lands End to John O'Groats with a Bus Pass and a Dog: Amazon.co.uk: Eric Newton: 9781456796754: Books.
This may also have helped with inspiration Bus-Pass Britain by Nicky Gardner, Susanne Kries | Waterstones
We're still doing a bus pass trip this summer, just heading to Brighton instead of Cornwall so taking less time off. Thanks for the good wishes re my new studio
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
broadly, what fishfinger says.
you have to apply for a pass from your local authority (can be county council level if you still have a county council), but you can then use it anywhere in England - the English National scheme came in in 2008.
Scotland, Wales (and I assume N Ireland) have their own schemes, so not quite sure how anyone would manage to do the Lands End to John O'Groats thing. I think there is some flexibility on services around the Scottish / Welsh borders but have never been involved in those areas.
(My uncle got in to correspondence with his MP about this, as it was announced as a 'national' scheme. Apparently when the PM or a minister says "national" it can mean either UK wide, England / Wales / Scotland, England and Wales, or England only, depending on whether it's a bit of law that has been devolved to one or more of the other bits of the UK...)
Some park & ride services are eligible, some aren't (on the basis that part of what you're paying for is the parking bit) - I think the ones on the outskirts of Reading, you pay a reduced fare rather than travel free.
And just what counts as a 'tourist' bus is a bit fuzzy as well.
Some councils offer more than the basic scheme, e.g. travel before 0930 or after 2300 (never did quite understand that restriction), travel on trams / metro / local rail services (which are not legally part of the scheme) - in some cases these are only allowed for locals.
As an aside, may be worth mentioning here that disabled people of any age can also apply for a similar bus pass - there is national guidance for what qualifies (local interpretation at the edges may vary), but it's more than just wheelchair users.
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
In theory, you shouldn't.
In practice, you would need to provide proof of age (or disability) and proof of address to the authority you apply to.
There is certainly some suggestion that people from outside London who can provide evidence of a London address tend to apply to the London council, since the London 'Freedom Pass' includes underground and rail travel inside London.
If any declaration on the application included declaring that it is your principal address, then this could possibly constitute fraud if this isn't true. I'm not sure whether data matching between local authorities / government departments goes as far as this.
