From Tuesday 1 April 2008, customers are advised that the Concessionary Travel Scheme for residents of Tyne and Wear will be amended, as follows:

•  Residents who are aged 60 years or over, and are members of the Concessionary Travel scheme will continue to be entitled to FREE bus travel within Tyne and Wear after 09.30am Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays.

• In addition to local travel within Tyne and Wear, people aged 60 years or over (or those passengers who are disabled) will also be able to travel FREE on “local” bus services
  throughout the rest of England too! Outside of Tyne and Wear this concession will statutorily apply from 09.30am until 11.00pm Monday to Friday, and all day weekends and bank holidays. Some local authorities may offer extended times - for more details, please contact them directly.
  Some local bus services also travel quite long distances too - you can change buses in Newcastle to access destinations such as Berwick (on Arriva Services 501/505), Carlisle (on Arriva Service 685) or Middlesbrough (on Go North East Service X10). These routes are classed as “local” bus services due to the number of stops they make on the way.

• Please note that under the new scheme, “local buses” will exclude coach services (such as megabus.com and most journeys operated by National Express). Free Concessionary Travel is also not available on the Newcastle City-sightseeing tourist bus, nor on the Tyne and Wear Metro, Shields Ferry or the former British Rail trains.

• In order to obtain your free concessionary travel you’ll need to show your new Concessionary Travel Pass when you board the bus, and retain the ticket that the driver will issue to you.

• If you already have a Concessionary Travel Pass, don’t worry – Nexus will be automatically sending you a new one out soon. But if you don’t already have a Concessionary Travel Pass, you’ll need to obtain one from Nexus. Please ring them on 0191 203 3434 for more details.

• If you have an early morning hospital appointment, and you are from Tyne and Wear, Durham or Northumberland, you can travel FREE within these three areas before 09.30am. As before, you will need to show your hospital appointment card or letter with your new National Concessionary Travel pass, when requested.

• If you hold a Nexus Disabled Concessionary Travel pass, and it is ALL DAY, then you will continue to be entitled to travel FREE at all times within Tyne and Wear. Outside of Tyne and Wear, this free concession will be available from 09.30am until 11.00pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays.

For more details on these changes, please telephone Traveline on 0871 200 22 33, or visit www.nexus.org.uk