Have been or would be refused grant of a driving licence

You can apply for a National Concession bus pass if you have been or would be refused grant of a driving licence under part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988 or would be refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness), otherwise than on the ground of persistence misuse of drugs and alcohol:

  • Under Section 92 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 the Secretary of State may refuse to issue a driving licence on the grounds of the applicant's medical fitness. Those who are currently barred from holding a licence are people with:
    1. epilepsy (unless it is of a type which does not pose a danger - see below);
    2. severe mental disorder;
    3. liability to sudden attacks of giddiness or fainting (whether as a result of cardiacdisorder or otherwise);
    4. inability to read a registration plate in good light at 20.5 metres (with lenses if worn);
    5.  other disabilities which are likely to cause the driving of vehicles by them to be a source of danger to the public.
  • It will be seen that specific reference is made to people who persistently misuse drugs or alcohol. Those people are not covered by the definition of 'disabled person' under the Act and are thus not entitled to the statutory minimum travel concession.
  • It is not a condition of entitlement under this category that the disabled person should apply for and be refused a driving licence (which would be unduly burdensome for everyone involved). If, for people with any of the disabilities (ii) - (iv) listed above, the local authority can be confident that a licence would be refused it should therefore be able to issue the travel pass automatically. For (i) epilepsy - the bar is not automatic and depends on the circumstances.
  • The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/258) permit the grant of a driving licence to a person with epilepsy if that person meets a number of conditions concerning the type and frequency of their seizures.
  • There are a number of categories of 'severe mental disorder' under which people may qualify. Authorities will need to assess individuals on a case-by-case basis as eligibility may depend on the severity of the condition. Such conditions include (but are not limited to) dementia (or any organic brain syndrome); behaviour disorders (including post head injury syndrome and Non-Epileptic Seizure Disorder); and personality disorders.
  •  Other groups include:
    1. People with restricted visual fields, who will be refused a licence if they do not have a horizontal field of vision of at least 120 degrees, or if they have significant scotoma encroaching within 20 degrees of the central fixation point in any meridian or, sometimes, if they have restricted vertical fields of vision;
    2. Insulin dependent diabetics. In general people with insulin dependent diabetes can continue to drive - though their licence may be renewable on a 1, 2, or 3-yearly basis. However, where the person experiences disabling hypoglycaemia they will be prevented from driving until their diabetes is controlled.

Based on the guidance have you been refused or would be refused grant of a driving licence?

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