Buckinghamshire buses

County Advice overview

Within Buckinghamshire, there is a choice of bus operators, each providing guidance regarding travelling with a disability on their website. If you have restricted mobility, it is always best to check with the operator if you are taking a journey for the first time.

Information regarding bus passes, route planning and concessionary travel can be found on the Buckinghamshire Council website.

People with disabilities in Buckinghamshire can apply for a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass enabling free travel. Apply here. 

Key tips 

When planning a journey by bus, things to consider might be: ‘Where is my nearest bus stop?’ and ‘What bus number do I need?’. You may also want to think about buying your ticket, what it will cost, can you pay by cash or card and can you buy it in advance online. Be aware that online tickets for buses are often non-refundable if you cannot make your journey.

Buses can only stop at marked bus stops, so you need to be sure where you are getting off in advance. If you are not sure, the bus driver should be happy to help you. Ask the driver to let you know when your stop is coming up. You may need to consider if the nearest bus stop is accessible if you are travelling with a scooter or wheelchair.

Intalink can help plan your journey and can help with advice about travel choices in your area that may result in saving you time and money.

Operators

Arriva

https://www.arrivabus.co.uk

Arriva are one of the UK’s leading providers of bus transport and operate services in Buckinghamshire. Their website holds a quick guide to plan your journey as well as national timetables and Journey Assistance Cards. Arriva also has an APP for Smartphone users. 

Carousel Buses

www.carouselbuses.co.uk

Carousel Buses, operating in Buckinghamshire, has introduced easy access buses with changes made to the interior layout to try and accommodate as many different customers’ needs as possible. Every driver also receives Disability Awareness Training. Carousel welcome the testing of wheelchairs and scooters at their depot for those who wish to do so. Find wheelchair guidance on the Carousel Buses website.

Carousel also offer an ‘on-demand’ service in High Wycombe called PickMeUp. This is an on-demand ride-sharing minibus service. You can download the app www.pickmeupwycombe.co.uk and let them know where you want your journey to begin. You will be picked up from a ‘virtual bus stop’ or a physical bus stop within a short walkable distance of where you are. Register your credit or debit card on the app, pay via PayPal or choose to pay the driver when they get to you.  You can also pre-book future journeys. 

If you do not have a smartphone, call 01494 296021 between 06.00am and 19.00pm (weekdays only) and an assistant will be able to book the journey for you. This includes immediate journeys and advance bookings, as well as repeat bookings.

PickMeUp covers High Wycombe town and extends as far as Wycombe Air Park, Downley Common, Wooburn Green and Pedestal Roundabout on the West Wycombe Road.

First Bus

https://www.firstbus.co.uk

One of the UK’s largest bus operators, your local First Bus company can connect you with your community; helping people get to work, to education, attend appointments, go shopping or socialise. All First Buses provide a designated wheelchair space. Guidance regarding mobility scooters and additional accessibility advice can be found on the First Bus website: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/bus-accessibility#wheelchir-user-needs-space

You can also access the First Bus journey planner below: https://www.firstbus.co.uk/journey-planner/

Red Eagle

www.redeagle.org.uk

Red Eagle is a large local company covering parts of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. All buses are accessible and take payment by card or cash. Areas covered and timetables are available on the Red Eagle website.

Help with cost 

Bus passes for older people

An Older Persons Bus Pass is available in Buckinghamshire.  The bus pass can be used in Buckinghamshire from 9am to 11:59pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also use it anywhere in England from 9:30am to 11:00pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and public holidays. Apply here. 

Disabled Person’s Bus Pass

People with disabilities can apply for a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass enabling free travel.

The application form must be signed by a healthcare professional who may charge for their time. You can apply if you are:

• Blind or partially sighted
• Profoundly or severely deaf
• Without speech
• Have a disability or have an injury which has a substantial and long-term effect on your ability to walk
• Do not have arms or have long-term loss of the use of both arms
• Have a learning disability
• Have been refused a driving licence due to physical incapacity. (This does not include refusal on grounds of drug or alcohol misuse)
• Are in receipt of Higher Rate Mobility for Disability Living Allowance (HRMCDLA

Your bus pass can be used in Buckinghamshire from 9am to 11:59pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also use it anywhere in England from 9:30am to 11.00pm, Monday to Friday, all day at weekends and bank holidays.

If your pass has been issued as a result of a visual impairment, you can use it anywhere in Buckinghamshire at any time.

If you require a travel companion, they will need to apply for a companion bus pass. This allows travel throughout Buckinghamshire with the exception of Milton Keynes. A paper application form is required and needs to be signed by a healthcare professional. Download it here.

Special assistance

Arriva offer Journey Assistance Cards to make it easier for customers with disabilities to travel, particularly those with hidden disabilities such as learning difficulties, mental health, mobility, speech, visual or hearing impairments. Journey Assistance cards discreetly indicate to drivers that you may need additional support, help or a little more time. Just show the card to the driver as well as your travel ticket when boarding the bus. More information can be found here.

All bus operators are required to accommodate one wheelchair or suitable types of mobility scooters on buses that feature low floor, easy access entrances and a designated wheelchair space. Drivers are obligated to always assist wheelchair and scooters users to board the services in accordance with their legal obligations.

Travelling with mobility equipment

Wheelchairs and Scooters

All low floor buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair and scooter users. When your low floor bus arrives at the bus stop, you can ask the driver to lower the step or ramp to allow you to board.

Wheelchair and mobility scooter users have priority over everyone else for the use of the designated wheelchair space, since this is the only place in which they can travel safely. Other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair and scooter users.

However, if the bus is full or there is already a wheelchair or scooter user on board, it may not be possible to be able to carry another wheelchair or scooter user.

Assistance Dogs

All recognised guide dogs and assistance dogs are allowed to travel for free on all Buckinghamshire buses. 

Routes and timetables

Local bus providers have journey planners and will be able to help you with information about your journey.

Traveline is a partnership of transport companies, local authorities and passenger groups which have come together to bring you routes and times for all travel in Great Britain by bus, rail, coach and ferry and to provide it in as many different ways as possible.