How you can apply for an exemption if you have a Blue Badge, your vehicle has a disabled tax class or you're a professional carer working in residents' homes. There is support for low income households, children with a personal travel budget and those living on specific roads deemed most impacted by the banned turns at the junction of Blackswarth Road and Church Road.
There are 3 bus gates in the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood:
They're managed by cameras with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).
These vehicles are allowed to travel through the bus gates:
- buses
- emergency vehicles
- bicycles and e-scooters
- solo motorcycles
- taxis and private hire vehicles
- waste vehicles
Apply for a bus gate exemption
You can apply for a bus gate exemption if you're a:
- resident of the liveable neighbourhood area with a Blue Badge registered to your address, you can nominate one vehicle
- resident of the liveable neighbourhood and your vehicle has a disabled tax class
- professional carer working in people's homes in the liveable neighbourhood area
If your exemption application is successful, your vehicle will be given a digital exemption. You won't need to display anything in the vehicle. Most exemptions are valid for one year from the date of your application. You'll need to reapply every year.
Low income households
Extra support is available for households on a low income in the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood.
In addition to the £100 of First Bus tickets offered to each household in the liveable neighbourhood area, if you're on a low income you can apply for:
- a 12 month exemption for bus gates in the trial area, if you need to drive for work (this cannot be renewed)
- an extra £250 of First Bus tickets
- a £150 voucher to buy a refurbished bike
You must receive at least one of:
- Council Tax Reduction that is part of the council tax reduction scheme. This does not include single occupancy reduction or student reduction in council tax
- Housing Benefit
- Universal Credit
Before you can get this extra help, you need to have a short travel planning session with a member of the travel team, by phone or online. We'll arrange this once you have completed the form.
Apply for low income travel offers and bus gate exemption
Children with a personal travel budget
We'll be in touch with eligible parents or carers of children with SEND who receive a personal travel budget.
Pile Marsh bus gate exemption
This is a specific and time limited exemption to the bus gate on Pile Marsh, to allow easier access to Church Road, for residents most affected by the banned turns at Blackswarth Road's junction with Church Road.
The eligible streets within East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood are:
- Avon Park (Netham Gardens only)
- Barnes Street
- Blackswarth Road
- Claremont Terrace
- Crews Hole Road (Riverside Nursing Home only)
- Derby Street
- Gladstone Street
- Grindell Road
- Lewin Street
- Netham Road (Northern section only)
- Pile Marsh
- St Patrick's View
- Terrell Gardens
- Weavers Mill Close
We are writing to eligible households this area.
You will need to provide proof of address and car ownership linked to the same address.
There will be no limit to the number of vehicles that can be exempt per household.
Businesses can also apply. However, each vehicle must be registered to the eligible address. This exemption will end on 1 March 2027.