Mid Beds Giving Its Residents More

At its meeting on 23 January, Mid Beds Executive agreed to continue to provide over and above the new National concessionary travel requirements, being introduced on 1 April.

The new National scheme of concessionary travel is being introduced by Government throughout the country.  It means free off peak bus travel throughout England for all people aged 60 and over and to eligible people with disabilities.

The Mid Beds scheme however will enable Mid Beds concessionary bus pass holders to not only access free bus transport nationally at off peak times but also to access bus transport in the Mid and South Beds areas during peak travel times.  It will also provide free travel within Mid and South Beds for  ‘companions’ accompanying those concessionary pass holders, who otherwise would be unable to travel by themselves.

Mid Beds and South Beds District Councils continue to work in partnership on the concessionary fare scheme in both districts and are currently arranging for 32,000 ‘smartcard’ plastic passes to be produced to the standard national design and then delivered to eligible passholders in March.

Train travel is not covered by the concessionary scheme, however First Capital Connect offer a 50% discount to concessionary bus pass holders (from Mid Beds, South Beds, Bedford Borough, Luton Borough Councils) on its routes from Bedford as far as Elstree & Borehamwood and from Sandy or Royston  as far as Crews Hill or Hadley Wood. 

This discount is available after 10am Mondays - Fridays and all day Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.  This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any railcards or GroupSave.

Silverlink also offer discounts on the Bedford to Bletchley service.

ENDS

Notes for Editors
Mid Beds currently works in partnership with South Beds District on a joint Concessionary Bus fare scheme, with support from Bedfordshire County Council.  Seperate schemes are operated in Luton and Bedford. 

Mid and South Beds have provided since 2005, a countywide free travel scheme with no peak time travel restriction on all non-national scheduled services commencing or terminating in Bedfordshire or Luton.  We also agreed to provide free travel for ‘companions’ of those eligible people unable to travel by themselves.