Hucknall and Bulwell trams: Free travel for concessionary pass holders to be reviewed

The council will be consulting residents on a range of options around tram travel for concessionary pass holders, due to its current level of cost.

Currently, people with disabilities and older people with a concessionary pass living in the county can travel free of charge on the tram between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and bank holidays.

The 154,000 pass holders in Nottinghamshire make an estimated 1.14million journeys on the tram each year, at a cost of £900,000 to the council.

The 10 million bus journeys made by pass holders each year as part of the National Concessionary Bus Scheme, are funded by the Government.

The council will now undertake a consultation with residents and pass holders to consider options from 2024.

These include revised tram travel arrangements such as introducing a half-fare payment, withdrawing the scheme for everyone except disabled passholders and their companions and withdrawing free tram travel for all passholders.

There is also the option to continue with tram concession arrangements as they are.

Coun Neil Clarke (Con), cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “As a Travel Concession Authority (TCA), we have a duty to provide free travel on local bus services for holders of a valid English national concessionary travel pass.

“Access to transport is just one of the ways we hope to achieve a healthy, prosperous and greener future for Nottinghamshire residents and alongside our statutory duty, we also currently support passholders by offering extra entitlements.

“These entitlements mean that passholders have access to free travel on the tram, a companion travel facility attached to passes issued for certain severe disabilities and free travel for disabled pass holders on Section 19 minibus services in the county.

“The costs of these additional measures are funded entirely by the council, and due to the current cost of the tram concessionary offer, we want to seek the views of residents and pass holders to make sure that our future offer best suits their needs.

“The consultation will last for eight weeks, and once we have completed this, we will consider the views of those who respond at a future cabinet meeting.”