Northern Ireland Trailblazers Inclusion Now campaign.

www.muscular-dystrophy.org 05
Public transport
Many people living and working in Northern Ireland, as elsewhere in
the UK, need access to public transport. For disabled people, there are
particular, unique challenges in accessing public transport and where
access is difficult, or impossible, it hinders disabled people’s ability to
study, work and socialise in and around the towns and cities.
We have found that although there have been many improvements in recent years, there
is still much to be done to enable disabled people to use public transport confidently,
spontaneously and safely. Automatic ramps on some buses and portable ramps on trains
and taxis enable disabled people to travel to some extent. 4 However, this is less than ideal
for young disabled people, as they still rely heavily on assistance from others. Travelling
independently should be of prime concern. The details follow.
Concessions
Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for free or concessionary travel on
buses and trains in Northern Ireland.
Free travel for:
n everyone aged 60 and over
n people who are registered blind
n war disablement pensioners.
Half-fare travel for people:
n who are in receipt of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
n who have had a driving licence refused or revoked on medical grounds
n who have a learning disability
n who are partially sighted 5 .
To check your eligibility, you need to apply to the Translink concessionary fare scheme for
a half-fare smart-pass. Some companies offer reductions in fares – which is positive news –
however there is a need for consistency among transport providers so that disabled people
can have reasonable expectations of what their travel fares will cost them.
4
www.drdni.gov.uk/newsDetails.htm?newsRef=2388
5
www.nidirect.gov.uk/free-bus-travel-and-concessions