Pop up event to help with ferry vouchers for concessionary travel to Mainland Scotland and Shetland

Orkney Islands Council is hosting a special pop-up event to help folk who receive concessionary ferry travel with their electronic vouchers.

The event at Kirkwall Library on 13 and 14 March, from 10:30am to 1pm, offers anyone living in Orkney who receives concessionary ferry vouchers a helping hand to add the vouchers to their NEC card.

The process is quick and easy and only takes a few seconds.

This comes as Transport Scotland change from paper to electronic concessionary ferry vouchers, stored on National Entitlement Cards, for eligible elderly, disabled and young people.

The move to electronic ferry vouchers on National Entitlement Cards, (also known as ‘Saltirecard’ or ‘free bus pass’ or Young Scot card), will apply to travel from 1 April.

Vouchers for travel between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 are now available for downloading onto NEC cards. Please ensure that your vouchers are loaded onto your card prior to check-in/travel.

Vouchers need to be added to NEC cards each year – this can be done by using the Transport Scot Pass Collect App on a ‘smartphone’.

The process is quick and easy as it only takes a few seconds to load onto your card.

If you or a family/friend are unable to carry out this process, then help is available from the Council’s Customer Service Team in Kirkwall and Stromness, the Transportation Team or by contacting one of several ‘help points’ in the county:

• Age Scotland Orkney - in Kirkwall and other locations by arrangement - enquiries@agescotlandorkney.org.uk and tel 01856 872438
• Eday Partnership Wellbeing Team - by arrangement with Anne Byers – email cdo@edaypartnership.org or tel 01857 622269
• Orkney Library and Archive – at the Front Reception Desk and Main Library Issue Desk, Kirkwall - email library@orkney.gov.uk or tel 01856 873166
• Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre Development Trust - by arrangement in Rousay, Egilsay & Wyre – email nicky@rewdt.org or phone 01856 821229
• Shapinsay Development Trust - by arrangement with Alison McDougall - email wellbeing@shapinsay.org.uk or phone 07867 622814
• Stromness Library - Main Reception Desk, Warehouse Buildings - email stromnesscs@orkney.gov.uk or tel 01856 850907
• Stronsay Development Trust - by arrangement with Anna Bliss-Davis - email cdostronsay@gmail.com 07590543008
• THAW - Kirkwall and other locations by arrangement - email info@thaworkney.co.uk tel 01856 878388
• Westray Development Trust - by arrangement with Erika Pottinger - email wellbeing@westraydevelopmenttrust.co.uk phone 07974 108983

To claim one of your free trips when travelling, you just need to present your NEC card to ferry staff on boarding – just as you do to claim free bus travel.

So eligible residents now only need to carry one card when using their four free ferry trips per annum, or travelling by bus in Orkney and across Scotland. (No more worrying about losing paper vouchers!)

The majority of eligible folk in Orkney should by now have received their letter from the Scottish Government explaining the change.

Anyone who believes they are eligible but have not yet received their letter is invited to contact our Transport Team – email ferryvouchers@orkney.gov.uk or phone 873535.

More Information:

Transport Scotland are changing the way they issue concessionary ferry vouchers to eligible elderly, disabled and young people.

The ferry vouchers, providing free passenger travel to and from the Scottish mainland or Shetland, will no longer be issued in paper form. Instead, vouchers will be stored electronically on eligible residents’ National Entitlement Cards (also known as ‘Saltirecard’ or ‘free bus pass’ or Young Scot card).

This means eligible residents will carry one card when travelling by bus in Orkney, across Scotland, or when using their four free ferry trips per annum.

Digital ferry vouchers are now ready and available for use from 1 April up until 31 March 2025.

The majority of eligible folk in Orkney should by now have received their letter from the Scottish Government explaining the change and ‘help spots’ in your area (also listed above).

Anyone who believes they are eligible but have not yet received their letter is invited to contact our Transport Team to check we’ve got their new address – email ferryvouchers@orkney.gov.uk or by phoning 873535.

Transport Scotland’s move to digital ferry vouchers will mean residents need to add, or 'collect' them to their card each year. The process is quick and easy and only takes a few seconds.

The ferry vouchers can be added to NEC cards:

• By downloading them using the Transport Scot Pass Collect App on a ‘smartphone’.
• By having someone do it for you - a friend, relative, Orkney Islands Council Transportation Service or Customer Services Teams, or at a number of help spots across Orkney. (See list below)
• By ferry staff (prior to check in/day of travel).

Laura Cromarty, Transportation Service Manager, Orkney Islands Council said: “We’re aware this might feel like a big change for concessionary residents, however it removes the printing of vouchers which are often misplaced each year. The vouchers can now be downloaded onto cards and if you, or a family member/friend cannot add your vouchers to your card, there are a number of help points available to help you do this.

“The key thing is to make sure you download the vouchers before the day of travel, and have your NEC card with you on the ferry.

“To claim a free journey, your NEC card will be scanned by ferry staff on a card reader just like when you travel on the bus.

“We’d also stress the importance of letting the Council’s Transportation Service know if you have moved in the last 12 months or so – as around 60-80 ferry vouchers are unclaimed each year, due to out-of-date addresses.

“If you are not sure that the address held for you is up-to-date please get in touch with the Council’s Transportation Service so we can check for you and change it if necessary."

Cardholders who need to update or check their address details can contact the Council’s Transportation Team on 01856 873535 ext 3637 or email ferryvouchers@orkney.gov.uk

You are eligible for four ferry vouchers (i.e. two return trips to mainland Scotland or Shetland) if you hold a valid National Entitlement Card because you permanently live in Orkney and are aged over 60, disabled, or are aged 16-18.

Residents with a disabled card featuring the C+1 logo are entitled to have a companion travel with them on the ferry, and can collect four free companion vouchers to their card as well as their own vouchers.

For 16 to 18 year olds, digital ferry vouchers can be collected using the App from your 16th birthday, however you must be under 19 on the date of travel. The app can also be used to check how many vouchers you have.

Detailed further information and FAQs about ferry vouchers are available at the Transport Scotland website

To find out more about concessionary travel in general in Scotland, visit this link.