Leicestershire buses

County advice overview

Bus operators in Leicestershire are steadily making more of their buses accessible in compliance with the standards required by government regulations. 

This includes but is not limited to the use of ramps, display screens, audio-visual ‘next stop’ announcements and low floor buses. 

You can visit the Choose How You Move website, a partnership project between Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council, funded by the Department for Transport, for further information regarding travelling by bus.

Key tips 

If you have reduced mobility, or a disability, where possible plan your journey in advance so that you know:

• If the destination stop is accessible, and any arrangements you may need to make for onward travel
• Which mobility aids you will be travelling with. (Contact the bus provider if you are unsure whether you can travel with your scooter/wheelchair.)

It may also be worth considering:

• Where the nearest bus stop is and which bus number you will need
• What method of payment is accepted
• If the ticket can be bought online
• Which destination stop you need. (The bus driver should be happy to help.)

For further information, contact the Central England and Greater Manchester Hubs Mobility Advice Service.

Operators

Bus operators in Leicestershire include:

Arriva

www.arrivabus.co.uk

First Bus

www.firstbus.co.uk

Centrebus

www.centrebus.info

Help with cost 

Older Person’s Pass

Concessionary bus passes are available for older people who have reached state pension age and are resident in Leicestershire. The Older Person’s Bus Pass entitles you to free travel on bus services throughout England from 9.30am to 11.00pm, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.

You can apply for an Older Person’s Bus Pass via Leicestershire County Council. 

If you live in Leicester, you will need to apply via Leicester City Council.

Disabled Person’s Bus Pass

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass if you are a resident in Leicestershire. There is no upper age restriction for the Disabled Person’s Bus Pass. 

View the eligibility criteria and apply for a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass via Leicestershire County Council. 

If you live in Leicester, you will need to apply via Leicester City Council.

Special assistance

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has introduced the Journey Assistance Card Scheme. A range of cards are available for passengers with disabilities or impairments which may not be immediately obvious to those around them. 

The cards cover disabilities such as deafness, visual impairment, or simply can advise the driver to allow the passenger to take their seat before pulling away from the stop.

They are available from travel shops, or you can download one via the websites below:

• Arriva – Journey Assistance Cards
• FirstBus – Extra Help to Travel

Travelling with mobility equipment

Wheelchairs

Centrebus, First Bus and Arriva buses are built for easy access with low floors.

Low-floor buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair users; other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair 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 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. 

Scooters

Not all bus operators can carry mobility scooters onboard. If you are a mobility scooter user, you should check with the bus operator in advance of travel.

First Bus, Centrebus and Arriva allow mobility scooters onboard accessible buses which are fitted with a ramp, provided the scooter does not exceed 100cm long and 60cm wide, with a turning circle of 120cm. 

You will need to apply for a standard ‘permit for travel’ prior to your scooter being carried. Mobility scooter users must be assessed and receive on-bus training from the operator before travelling on the bus for the first time.

To apply for a scooter permit:

• Contact Arriva: 0344 800 4411.
• Contact First Bus: 0345 646 0707.
• Apply for a Centrebus scooter permit online.

Assistance dogs

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

Routes and timetable links

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

Arriva

Journey planner, services, timetables.

First Bus

Journey planner, timetables, next bus information.

Centrebus

Bus tracker, bus services.

You can find routes, timetable links and plan your journey in Leicestershire and further afield via the travel websites below.

Choose How You Move

Can help with advice about bus travel in Leicestershire, including routes, timetables, fares and any travel disruption. 

Traveline

Traveline is a public transport information and journey planning service. It 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.

You can use Traveline to plan your journey and find timetables, before you travel or during your journey. 

Contact: 0871 200 22 33 

NextBuses

The national NextBuses website will help you search for bus timetables and your nearest bus stop. You can put in your postcode to find your nearest stop and the next bus due. 

SMS text: For live and scheduled arrival information for specific bus stops, text the short code (for example, brkdwtg) shown on the information panel at that stop to 84268 (Charges apply).

BusTimes

The BusTimes.org website provides bus, coach and ferry transport information (under the heading ‘Map’, select Track buses and find bus stops). From here, you can track buses across the UK, access timetables and next departure information, view maps, bus stop details and more.