Free travel passes on the way for eligible passengers

People who qualify for bus passes are being contacted

Nexus is halfway through contacting 100,000 people in Tyne and Wear who are entitled to a free pass and this will run until early March.

Passholders are being reassured not to contact Nexus until after that date if they have not received a new card.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme smart cards will be sent automatically to anyone who has used their card in 2017, or advised Nexus they would like to have it renewed.

Free bus pass holders who have not used their pass at any time during 2017 will not have them automatically renewed.

If they want another pass they will need to register online at www.nexus.org.uk/newct contact Nexus on 0191 20 20 747, go into a Nexus Travel Shop.

Customer services director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “No-one should worry if they have not received a card yet. The size of this mail-out means that some people will get cards before others.

“Most people do not need to do anything more than keep an eye on the post. We will be sending out new smart cards automatically between now and the middle of March, a few weeks before existing cards expire.”

More than 240,000 people aged over the state pension age or eligible through disability in Tyne and Wear hold an English National Concessionary Travel Scheme smart card issued by Nexus.

Nexus, using funds from local councils, pays transport operators around £38m a year for cardholders to be carried without charge after 9.30am on weekdays and all day at weekends and bank holidays.