How to Get About
- Public Transport
- Travel Passes
- Travel Information for the Older Person
- Travel Information for the Disabled
- Useful Organisations
Public Transport
Information on public transport in the Greater Manchester area whether you intend to travel by train, tram, bus or coach, can be found on the TfGM website 
Here you can access details on:
Journey planning- Concessionary fares
- Travel vouchers
- Choosing the right ticket
- Travel shop times
- Route maps
From this site you can also gain news for instance, on rail strikes, transport during Bank Holiday periods or changes in tickets and fares.
General Enquiries, 2 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, M1 3BG 
0161 244 1000
customer.relations@tfgm.com.
National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950
Travel Passes
Standard single journey tickets are available from the driver and at ticket machines or booking offices at Train and Metrolink tram stations.
If you use public transport regularly, you can make savings by purchasing a ticket in advance. There are a range of tickets available, covering different periods of time and different combinations of bus, train and tram. Follow this link for further information on tickets and fares.
There are also concessionary passes and free bus passes available.
Other passes for rail travel for Young, Senior, Family and Disabled offer savings of 1/3 on most journeys. See www.railcard.co.uk for further details.
Travel Information for the Older Person
Age UK has a comprehensive factsheet on travel for older people. The factsheet has information on:
- Financial help with travel
- Concessions
- People with disabilities
- Passengers with disabilities
- Senior railcards
- Driving licences
- The Blue Badge Parking Scheme
- Door-to-door transport
- Social cars
- Dial-a-ride
- Taxi-card schemes
- Air travel
Age UK Tameside , 131 Katherine Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside
0161 308 5000 info@ageuktameside.com
If you're 60 or over you automatically qualify for the Routesixty fares, which means you can travel at up to half-price on most National Express services in England and Wales. Even when half-price fares aren't available, you can take advantage of brilliant discounts with Routesixty. And what's more, you don't need to pay for a discount card. So don't be shy about coming forward and getting a better deal on travel.
Please refer to the section on Useful Organisations for further help in getting around.
Travel Information for the Disabled
- Other Financial Help with Travel
- The Disabled Parking Scheme
- Motability
- Driving Licences
- Class 3 Vehicle Users
- Get Wheelchair Wise - a Wheelchair User's Guide to Public Transport
- Volunteer Car Service
- Ring and Ride
- Travel Vouchers for the Disabled
Other Financial Help with Travel
Disability Living Allowance
If you are disabled you may be entitled to financial help with travel. This help may come from the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance. For details about Disability Living Allowance and whether you meet the conditions to qualify.
Exemptions from VAT
You may also not have to pay VAT on necessary adaptations to your car, which may also extend to spare parts, accessories, repair and maintenance.
The Disabled Parking Scheme
The Disabled Parking Scheme or Blue Badge Scheme as it's sometimes known is a national scheme for people who:
- Are registered blind or
- Have severe walking difficulties or
- Regularly drive, but are unable to turn the steering wheel by hand.
The scheme provides a wide range of parking benefits. For example the scheme enables badge holders to park free in most pay and display car parks and also to park on single and double yellow lines in most streets for up to three hours. For more information, qualifying conditions to obtain the badge and how to apply, see www.tameside.gov.uk/bluebadge.
Motability
What is it?
www.motability.co.uk is a national UK charity, which helps disabled people and their families to become more mobile. It was set up on the initiative of the Government in 1977, to provide vehicles and powered wheelchairs to disabled people.
The first Motability vehicle was supplied in 1978 and since then more than 1.28 million cars and powered wheelchairs have been provided. The Motability Scheme now has more than 390,000 customers driving, or being driven on the road to freedom.
Help in becoming mobile
There are various ways you can get more mobile with Motability's help. They offer four main Schemes to help you obtain a vehicle, powered wheelchair or scooter. These are:
- A three year Contract Hire Scheme for New Vehicles
- A four, or five year, Hire Purchase Scheme for New Vehicles
- A two, or three year, Hire Purchase Scheme for Used Vehicles
- A two, or three year Hire Purchase Scheme for Powered Wheelchairs and Scooters
Who can use the Motability Scheme?
Disabled people who receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance, or the War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement can use their mobility allowance towards the cost of obtaining a vehicle, or powered wheelchair, through the Motability Scheme. The allowance must be awarded for long enough to complete the chosen agreement.
Children from the age of three and non-drivers can also apply for vehicle as passengers, provided they are in receipt of the correct allowance.
Further Information
For further information on:
- Help in obtaining a suitable vehicle
- Help with driving lessons
- Help with vehicle adaptations
- Accredited suppliers in your local area
Contact:
Motability Operations, City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB 0845 456 4566
Or visit www.motability.co.uk
Driving Licences
To find information on what driving licence you need; how to get one; and what to do if you have a medical condition or special needs that could affect your driving.
Driving, transport and travel on GOV.UK
Medical Rules
If you have a medical condition which has become worse since your licence was issued or you develop a new medical condition, you must write and inform the Drivers Medical Unit of the nature of your condition, as it may affect your fitness to drive. Failure to do so is a criminal offence punishable by a fine of up to £1,000.
Contact:
Drivers Medical Unit, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1TU, 0870 600 0301
Further information on your health and notifiable medical condition can be found on www.dvla.gov.uk
Class 3 Vehicle Users
Code of practice for Class 3 vehicle users
To recognise that electric scooters and wheelchairs do not come into any road user category , a special highway code has been produced by the British Healthcare Trades Association.
To find out:
- What is a class 3 Vehicle User?
- Where can they be used?
- What are the legal requirements?
Visit: Code of practice for Class 3 vehicle users for details.
Get Wheelchair Wise - A Wheelchair User's Guide to Public Transport
If you are a wheelchair user you will find that more and more public transport is becoming accessible to you. New regulations mean that in future, trains, buses and taxis will all have to be designed so that most wheelchair users can travel on them.
There are some basic facts that you might find helpful to know, particularly if you do not use public transport but would like to do so, for instance:
- Before you travel
- Getting on and off
- On board
- Confidence
- Useful contacts
Connect to http://www.dft.gov.uk for details.
Your Local Wheelchair Centre:
The Wheelchair Centre, 229 Droylsden Rd, Audenshaw, Tameside, M34 5ZT
0161 370 2661 or 5949
Volunteer Car Service
There are volunteers that freely offer their time and use their own car to drive the disabled person to their destination, which might be to a social event such as visiting family and friends, going to the theatre or perhaps alternatively using the trip to attend a hospital appointment.
The disabled person should be unable to use public transport nor afford taxis to access this service. A 'mileage' charge will be made to cover the cost of petrol used.
Organisations offering this service are shown below. You will need to bear in mind that much will depend on the availability of volunteers at the time, because of this the service cannot be guaranteed.
To access this scheme from Age Concern, you need to be aged 55 or over. Also, the British Red Cross make a small charge for their scheme, so please check with them to find out the full cost of your journey.
Age UK Tameside, 131 Katherine St, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7AW
0161 308 5000 mailto:info@ageuktameside.com.
Glossop Volunteer Bureau
Glossop Volunteer Bureau, Howard Town House, High Street East Glossop, SK13 8DA
01457 865722 info@gvb.org.uk.
The British Red Cross (Manchester South and Central, 10 Brindley Road, City Park, Cornbrook, Manchester MI6 9HQ 0161 888 8900 maconstantinou@redcross.org.uk
The British Red Cross (Manchester North East), Amalfi House, 285 Featherstall Road North, Oldham, OL1 2NH 0161 888 8900
Ring and Ride
Ring and Ride provides door-to-door transport for people who find it very difficult or impossible to get to a bus stop or get on or off ordinary buses. Their buses have low entrance steps and lifts at the back to make it easy for people to get on and off. If you use a wheelchair, the driver will secure your wheelchair safely in the bus or, if you like, help you into a seat. Drivers are fully trained in customer care and disability awareness.
Ring and ride is designed to provide short local journeys. The buses are small and can reach most homes easily. Remember: Ring and Ride is for people who have difficulty getting about - if you can use ordinary buses please do.
For details of costs, how to use Ring and Ride and other relevant information, please visit Ring and Ride on the TfGM website .
Tameside Ring and Ride can be found at:
Unit D1, Meadowbank Business Park, Tweedale Way, Hollinwood, Oldham OL9 8EH
Enquiry/Administration: 0161 200 6011 (option 2) Booking: 0161 200 6011 (option 1)
Travel Vouchers for the Disabled
"Travel Vouchers are a form of travel concession introduced by Transport for Greater Manchester to improve travel facilities for disabled people. Use the link to find out how travel vouchers work; who qualifies for them; where you can use them; how much they cost and how to apply for them."
Useful Organisations
Here you can access a factsheet on travel for the older person.
Age UK, Astral House, 1268 London Road, London SW16 4ER
0800 009966
Local Office: 131, Katherine St, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7AW
0161 308 5000
Mobilise
Mobilise promotes and protects the welfare and personal mobility of all disabled people, drivers and non-drivers.
National Headquarters, Ashwellthorpe, Norwich NR16 1EX
01508 489449 enquiries@mobilise.info
General information for all modes of public transport.
General Enquiries, 2 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, M1 3BG 0161 244 1000
Help in getting around for the disabled person.
Motability Operations, City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB 0845 456 4566
Or visit www.motability.co.uk
Ring and Ride Tameside
For those who have difficulty in accessing public transport.
Ring and Ride Tameside, Unit 1, Plantation Industrial Estate, Whitelands Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6UZ
Enquiry/Administration: 0161 343 1404 Booking: 0161 343 1808
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)
Campaigner for better lifestyles for disabled people and their families.
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR), 12 City Forum, 250 City Road, London, EC1V 8AF
020 7250 3222
For members of the Carer's centre who participate in trips out.
Tameside Carers Centre, 50 Warrington Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 7BR
0161 342 3344
Information for travellers with disabilities with links to travel, tours, transport, access, mobility aids and other helpful organisations.
Visit Britain, Thames Tower, Black's Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 9EL
020 88469000