The Kent Freedom Pass provides young people with access to the bus network of Kent - any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year. Following a decision of the County Council on 17 February 2011, the previously published plans for the Council's budget have been confirmed. This means that the scheme which will be offered for 2011/2012 will be as follows:
- The standard fee for a Kent Freedom Pass will be £100
- Children in receipt of Free School Meals will pay £50
- KCC's own Looked After Children and Young Carers will NOT pay any fee
No other changes will apply to the scope of the scheme. The announcement is made in advance of applications being possible to reflect the council's budget process and to give parents time to consider the change and plan for it. The application process will be as follows for the return of schools in September 2011.
Monday 6 June 2011 - applications will open, by post and online.
Friday 15 July 2011 - your application must be received by this date in order to have your pass available on the first day of term. Passes for applications received after this date are unlikely to be at school on the first day of term and you will have to pay your own non-refundable bus fares until your pass is ready. You can apply at any time thereafter but applications can take up to 28 working days to process. Further details of the application process, and the correct application form, will be publicised in the first week of June.
In the meantime, the following information remains valid for applications received by the cut-off for the current scheme (up to and including Tuesday 31 May 2011). Applications received after that date will be treated as applications for September 2011.
How do I apply?
Applicants must meet the following key criteria in order to apply for the 2010/11 scheme.
- in academic year 7-11 at a participating school (PDF, 32k)
- living within the administrative boundary of Kent County Council
Non-Kent residents attending schools in Kent remain ineligible for this scheme and should contact their own local authority to understand what, if any, scheme is available to them.
The scheme information leaflet (PDF, 2MB) provides more information; however, the full terms and conditions (PDF, 30k) should be referred to, in case clarification is needed. The scheme information leaflet refers to making an application online. The ability to apply online is however still in development and its availability will be announced in due course. In the meantime, and as in previous years, you can download an application form (PDF, 600k) or collect an application pack from participating schools. These should be returned to the address shown below (and also printed at the foot of the application form), along with payment and a clear passport-sized photo (for first-time applicants). The fee for applications is £50, irrespective of the date of application or issue. All passes issued for the 2010/11 scheme year will expire on 31 August 2011, irrespective of the date of application or issue.
If you had a Kent Freedom Pass for 2009-10 and want to renew it for the current academic year (2010/11), you will need to submit a new application, and tick the 'Renewal' box at the top. You must include a further £50 payment, but do not need to submit another photo. Please be aware that we do not issue acknowledgements of receipt and applications can take up to 28 working days to process - you are responsible for your transport costs until you have received your pass.
As a result of discussions with operators, a small number of tailored school services are designated as 'special' for the purposes of the scheme. For these services, a further payment arrangement exists in addition to the Kent Freedom Pass. The level of additional charge is detailed in the list of participating operators (PDF, 21k) and service exclusions for 2010-11.
As part of a wider project to upgrade the ticketing systems used by bus operators in Kent, some of the Kent Freedom Passes for 2010-11 will be issued as Smartcards. These cards can be read electronically by the new ticket machines which are being introduced progressively across the county. Initially the new style of passes will be issued to children attending schools in Swale and Thanet and passholders who are issued with a Smartcard will be given a leaflet to explain how to use it. While the cards have a different appearance, their validity remains the same as all other 2010-11 Kent Freedom Passes.
Applications can be made at any time (until 31 May 2011) and the cost of the pass remains at £50 until the end of the scheme year (31 August 2011). The Kent Freedom Pass allows students to travel on any participating public bus at any time, including weekends and school holidays. It is one of the most generous travel passes of its kind outside of London, and is wholly funded by Kent County Council. In order that the scheme can continue to make a positive impact for all bus users, the standards of behaviour expected by Kent Freedom Pass holders are set out in the code of conduct (PDF, 29k).
Send your completed application to the address below, or for further information contact:
Kent Feedom Pass, Transport Integration, Commercial Services, Gibson Drive, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 1QG, or e:mail; kentfreedompass@kent.gov.uk, 24 hour helpline; 08458 247 247
