national express coaches
last week i discovered that if you are over 60 years of age, or disabled, you can get up to 50% off your coach fares with national express... and that their definition(s) of 'disabled' definitely include mental health.
i made a few enquiries as to what qualified as 'disabled', and what would be needed as 'proof'... and after an initial: 'yeah, i think mental health counts', and an 'umm, blue badge. DLA, doctor's letter', amongst the responses from sales assistants, i was put through to someone on the national express disabled helpline... who was very helpful *smile* talking stuff through with her, i had it confirmed that mental health counted under their definition(s) of 'disability', and that depression was definitely (and emphatically) included, and that a letter someone[0] had (which included a statement of a diagnosis) from an NHS trust community mental health worker to someone in housing was proof enough in this instance. they even wrote me a covering note for the person concerned (stating they are entitled to concessionary travel) and emailed it to me with their ticket, so that it could be presented whenever needed if buying a coach ticket.
i was impressed *grin*
another really useful thing (imo) that she advised me of, is that passengers are only requied to provide proof of right to concessionary travel when asked to do so by an inspector - you don't have to show proof to the driver, just have (and possibly/probably confirm that you have) the proof with you. excellent policy, imo.
edit: looking just now now at their site, they have pages about concessionary travel and wheelchair accessible coaches, etc, linked from here, and the telephone and textphone numbers for their disabled persons travel helpline are: telephone 0121 423 8479; textphone 0121 455 0086.
[0] i was making enquiries on someone else's behalf.
i made a few enquiries as to what qualified as 'disabled', and what would be needed as 'proof'... and after an initial: 'yeah, i think mental health counts', and an 'umm, blue badge. DLA, doctor's letter', amongst the responses from sales assistants, i was put through to someone on the national express disabled helpline... who was very helpful *smile* talking stuff through with her, i had it confirmed that mental health counted under their definition(s) of 'disability', and that depression was definitely (and emphatically) included, and that a letter someone[0] had (which included a statement of a diagnosis) from an NHS trust community mental health worker to someone in housing was proof enough in this instance. they even wrote me a covering note for the person concerned (stating they are entitled to concessionary travel) and emailed it to me with their ticket, so that it could be presented whenever needed if buying a coach ticket.
i was impressed *grin*
another really useful thing (imo) that she advised me of, is that passengers are only requied to provide proof of right to concessionary travel when asked to do so by an inspector - you don't have to show proof to the driver, just have (and possibly/probably confirm that you have) the proof with you. excellent policy, imo.
edit: looking just now now at their site, they have pages about concessionary travel and wheelchair accessible coaches, etc, linked from here, and the telephone and textphone numbers for their disabled persons travel helpline are: telephone 0121 423 8479; textphone 0121 455 0086.
[0] i was making enquiries on someone else's behalf.