Since early September Transport for Wales (TfW) have been working with Councils, Welsh Government and bus operators to manage the renewal programme to replace all green passes with the new Transport for Wales branded Concessionary Travel Cards.
Well over half a million people (569,000) have applied to renew so far – which includes about 25,000 paper applications. An encouraging 94% of regular bus pass users, where records show they’ve used their pass more than 6 times in the 3 months, have applied and for the vast majority have also received their new card.
Electronic ticket machines on buses will not read the old green bus passes any longer since they expired on 31st December 2019. Whilst the majority of bus passes have now been replaced, a number of passengers still present their green bus passes on buses.
In order that these passengers are able to continue to travel until they have reapplied for and received a new bus pass the Minister for Economy and Transport has agreed to the creation of a short ‘Grace Period’ where passengers will be able to travel using their old bus passes, between 1st January 2020 and confirmed end date 29th February 2020.
Welsh Government agreed with local authorities and bus operators in December that where a passenger presents a green bus pass during the ‘Grace Period’:
• The driver should allow the passenger to travel but inform them to obtain a new bus pass from TfW.
• The driver should record the journey with a ‘button push’ on the ticket machine, issuing a ticket
• The passenger should also tap the card on the card reader, which will produce an error message which can be used to record the fact that the transaction relates to an out of date pass
How to renew your bus pass
Contact TFW https://tfw.wales/travelcards or call the Integrated Transport Unit on 01495 742744.