Bus Pass Rejections

James Stoker made this Freedom of Information request to City of York Council This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was partially successful.

Dear City of York Council,

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to request some figures around rejections for concessionary travel passes (bus passes).

The following questions refer only to disabled bus pass applications not to concessionary travel for the elderly.

Where years are used this is for the financial year.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected because the applicant has not met criteria but does have an autistic spectrum disorder.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected because the applicant has not met criteria but has Asperger’s Syndrome.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and has an autistic spectrum disorder.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and has Asperger’s Syndrome.
I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial years;
2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date) how many concessionary travel passes have been issued.

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date) have concessionary travel passes been issued to anyone who did not present as having a physical disability or learning difficulty or autistic spectrum disorder. If so can you provide this information split by the reason the passes were issued, and the years.

How many currently “active” bus passes are there issued by your council?

How many passes are estimated by the council to be being fraudulently used?

Would someone with an autistic spectrum disorder or Asperger’s syndrome be considered to be fraudulently using a pass?

What criteria do the council use to decide if a pass should be issued or not?
Are there any council specific amendments or changes to this criteria if this is a standard item between councils?

Could you provide copies of application documents which are associated with the application for a pass?

Yours faithfully,

James Stoker

foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

Thank you for your email. Please note this is an automatically generated receipt to let you know we have received your email.

For information:

* The timescale for responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) requests is up to 20 working days. We will contact you promptly if we need you to clarify your request or an extension to complete a public interest test.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, for FOIA or EIR responses, is up to 20 working days. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

* The timescale for responding to your rights in relation to personal data eg: subject access to records (SAR) request, is up to 1 month. We will contact you promptly if we require further information from you, or an extension.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, of responses to your rights regarding personal data, is up to 1 month. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Fax: 01625 524 510
Or email: [email address]<mailto:[email address]> (please include your telephone number in your email)

Regards
Customer Feedback Team

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Dear [email address],

Please may you send me a response to the referenced request, as more than 20 working days have passed.
If it is not possible to provide me with a response at this stage, please advise me when a response will be provided.

Yours sincerely,

James Stoker

Dear City of York Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of City of York Council's handling of my FOI request 'Bus Pass Rejections'.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/b...

Yours faithfully,

James Stoker

foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

Thank you for your email. Please note this is an automatically generated receipt to let you know we have received your email.

For information:

* The timescale for responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) requests is up to 20 working days. We will contact you promptly if we need you to clarify your request or an extension to complete a public interest test.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, for FOIA or EIR responses, is up to 20 working days. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

* The timescale for responding to your rights in relation to personal data eg: subject access to records (SAR) request, is up to 1 month. We will contact you promptly if we require further information from you, or an extension.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, of responses to your rights regarding personal data, is up to 1 month. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Fax: 01625 524 510
Or email: [email address]<mailto:[email address]> (please include your telephone number in your email)

Regards
Customer Feedback Team

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Help protect the environment! - please don't print this email unless you really need to.

show quoted sections

Dear City of York Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of City of York Council's handling of my FOI request 'Bus Pass Rejections'.

This FOI request is long overdue and I believe I am due a response.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/b...

Yours faithfully,

James Stoker

foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

Thank you for your email. Please note this is an automatically generated receipt to let you know we have received your email.

For information:

* The timescale for responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) requests is up to 20 working days. We will contact you promptly if we need you to clarify your request or an extension to complete a public interest test.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, for FOIA or EIR responses, is up to 20 working days. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

* The timescale for responding to your rights in relation to personal data eg: subject access to records (SAR) request, is up to 1 month. We will contact you promptly if we require further information from you, or an extension.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, of responses to your rights regarding personal data, is up to 1 month. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Fax: 01625 524 510
Or email: [email address]<mailto:[email address]> (please include your telephone number in your email)

Regards
Customer Feedback Team

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Help protect the environment! - please don't print this email unless you really need to.

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Dear [email address],

By law you should have responded to my FOI by now.
Your response is long overdue.

Yours sincerely,

James Stoker

foi@york.gov.uk, City of York Council

Thank you for your email. Please note this is an automatically generated receipt to let you know we have received your email.

For information:

* The timescale for responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) requests is up to 20 working days. We will contact you promptly if we need you to clarify your request or an extension to complete a public interest test.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, for FOIA or EIR responses, is up to 20 working days. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

* The timescale for responding to your rights in relation to personal data eg: subject access to records (SAR) request, is up to 1 month. We will contact you promptly if we require further information from you, or an extension.

o The timescale for responding to requests for a review, of responses to your rights regarding personal data, is up to 1 month. You are also able to contact the Information Commissioner, contact details below:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Fax: 01625 524 510
Or email: [email address]<mailto:[email address]> (please include your telephone number in your email)

Regards
Customer Feedback Team

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Help protect the environment! - please don't print this email unless you really need to.

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Clarke, Tony(Transport Planning), City of York Council

Dear Mr Stoker

Please find below a response to your Freedom of Information request.
Please accept my apologies for the excessive length of time it has taken
to respond. This was due to an administrative oversight.

 

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to request some figures
around rejections for concessionary travel passes (bus passes).

 

The following questions refer only to disabled bus pass applications not
to concessionary travel for the elderly.

 

Where years are used this is for the financial year.

 

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected
because the applicant has not met criteria but does have an autistic
spectrum disorder.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

We do not record numbers of rejected applications.

 

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been rejected
because the applicant has not met criteria but has Asperger’s Syndrome.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

We do not record numbers of rejected applications.

 

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and
has an autistic spectrum disorder.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

We do not record numbers of successful applicants who specifically have an
autistic spectrum disorder.

 

I would like to know how many bus pass applications have been accepted and
has Asperger’s Syndrome.

I would like this data for the, and split by the following financial
years; 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date.

We do not record numbers of successful applicants who specifically have
Asperger’s Syndrome.

 

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date)
how many concessionary travel passes have been issued.

1271 in 2018/19 to date.

1919 in 2017/18

1606 in 2016/17

762 for 2015/16 (data available only for the period September 2015 to
March 2016)

 

Over the same time periods (2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 to date)
have concessionary travel passes been issued to anyone who did not present
as having a physical disability or learning difficulty or autistic
spectrum disorder. If so can you provide this information split by the
reason the passes were issued, and the years.

We only issue passes to applicants with documentary proof of an eligible
disability.

 

How many currently “active” bus passes are there issued by your council?

3685 active disability passes.

 

How many passes are estimated by the council to be being fraudulently
used?

We do not estimate levels of fraud.

 

Would someone with an autistic spectrum disorder or Asperger’s syndrome be
considered to be fraudulently using a pass?

Not if it has been issued to them by an English travel concession
authority on the grounds of eligible disability or eligible age.

 

What criteria do the council use to decide if a pass should be issued or
not?

The statutory criteria as set out in the Transport Act 2000. Guidance is
available on the council website at
[1]https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20103/trave...

 

Are there any council specific amendments or changes to this criteria if
this is a standard item between councils?

All English Travel Concessions Authorities have a statutory duty to issue
English National Concessionary Travel Passes to the criteria as set out in
the Transport Act 2000. We do not provide any discretionary local
concessionary travel entitlements for disabled persons who do not meet the
criteria.

 

Could you provide copies of application documents which are associated
with the application for a pass?

See
[2]https://www.york.gov.uk/info/20103/trave...
or visit [3]www.york.gov.uk and search for ‘disabled persons bus pass’

 

If you are dissatisfied with our response you have the right to ask for a
review of how your enquiry was handled and responded to.   This can be
done by contacting us through [4][City of York Council request email] stating your reason(s)
why you are dissatisfied, and we will pass this to the information
governance team who deal with all reviews of how we have dealt with FOI
enquiries.  If after they complete their investigation and reply to you
with their findings, you still remain dissatisfied you can contact the
Information Commissioner, contact details below:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a
national rate number

Fax: 01625 524 510 or email: [5][email address] (please include your
telephone number)

 

Regards

Tony Clarke | Head of Transport  

t: 01904 551641 | e: [6][email address]

 

City of York Council | Directorate of Economy and Place

West Offices | Station Rise | York | YO1 6GA

[7]www.york.gov.uk | [8]facebook.com/cityofyork | [9]@CityofYork

 

 

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