Travelling by tram in South Yorkshire does not involve a tram-specific scooter application. Instead, the network relies on the national bus permit scheme, which means the route to a permit runs through a bus operator even for someone who never intends to catch a bus. This guide covers the position on Sheffield Supertram and the Rotherham tram-train, both in England, as described by Travel South Yorkshire and by First Bus.
One permit for buses and trams
Travel South Yorkshire explains that the national Mobility Scooter Permit Scheme enables users of some types of scooter to travel on their scooter on buses, including trams in Sheffield and tram-trains in Rotherham. Once a permit has been issued, it is accepted by all participating bus operators nationally and also by Supertram in Sheffield and Rotherham. The scheme therefore travels with the rider rather than being tied to one route.
Travel South Yorkshire adds that the permit is not a fare card. Users must still pay or use an ENCTS pass to travel. ENCTS is the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme; the site’s guide to the disabled person’s bus pass in England explains who qualifies.
What the scooter must be
According to Travel South Yorkshire, a permit requires a Class 2 scooter that:
- is no larger than 1000mm long and 600mm wide, with a turning radius no greater than 1200mm;
- weighs no more than 300kg with the user seated on it;
- can fit in the wheelchair space on board all accessible low-floor buses; and
- can board in a safe and controlled manner.
These limits are tighter than the ones Northern publishes for its trains, where the Standard Permit allows up to 120cm by 70cm, so a scooter that qualifies for a Northern rail permit may still fall outside the bus and tram scheme. The Northern Trains guide sets out that separate scheme.
Who assesses the scooter
A free, simple assessment is conducted by a participating bus operator. In South Yorkshire, Travel South Yorkshire names Arriva, First South Yorkshire and Stagecoach as having signed up to the scheme, offering assessments and issuing permits. Anyone wishing to apply is directed to contact them directly. First Bus, for example, allows a scooter assessment to be requested through a contact form on its website.
Passengers who only use tram services must still hold a permit. Travel South Yorkshire is explicit that they will still be required to contact a participating bus operator to obtain it.
What the assessment involves
First Bus describes its approach as following the code of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (CPT). Its page states that approval needs to cover both the design of the scooter and the ability of the user to control and manoeuvre it safely, and that users must be assessed and receive on-bus training from the operator before travelling for the first time. The training covers manoeuvring up and down the ramp and within the vehicle, and First Bus states that the ramp must be accessed head on when boarding and alighting. The permit to travel is issued only once the operator is satisfied that the user can do this safely and in a reasonable period of time.
That description is First Bus’s own wording for buses. Travel South Yorkshire’s page does not spell out how the training translates to a tram platform, so a first tram journey is best preceded by a conversation with the assessing operator.
Conditions once on board
First Bus states that on a bus the scooter goes into the designated wheelchair space, reversed up to the backrest, with the motor switched off and the scooter parked in gear. The passenger must remain on the scooter in that space and use the handrails provided. If the wheelchair space is already occupied by a wheelchair, the scooter user cannot travel. The scooter must be kept in good working order, with no exposed battery or electrical equipment and no leaking fluid, and must not be overloaded with items such as shopping bags that would make it unstable.
First Bus also says there is no legal requirement to carry mobility scooters: they are carried at each operator’s individual discretion, and the permit can be withdrawn after misuse that results in damage or injury. That is consistent with the wider position explained in the guide to taking a mobility scooter on the bus.
Trains in South Yorkshire
Travel South Yorkshire notes separately that Northern has upgraded its fleet and offers scooter users better access at more than 100 fully accessible stations, with the scheme’s details held on Northern’s own website. Tram-train and heavy-rail arrangements are therefore different permits, so holding one does not automatically cover the other.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate Supertram permit? According to Travel South Yorkshire, no. A permit issued under the national scheme is accepted by Supertram in Sheffield and Rotherham.
Can a Class 3 scooter be used? The scheme wording on the Travel South Yorkshire page refers to Class 2 scooters only.
Is there a fee for the permit? Travel South Yorkshire describes the assessment as free.
The bottom line
To take a mobility scooter on Sheffield Supertram or the Rotherham tram-train, the route is a national bus scooter permit: a Class 2 scooter within 1000mm by 600mm, a 1200mm turning radius and 300kg combined weight, assessed free by a bus operator such as Arriva, First or Stagecoach. Tram-only users must still go through a bus operator, and the permit is not a fare card.
Sources
- Travel South Yorkshire, "Using mobility scooters onboard" (travelsouthyorkshire.com)
- First Bus, "Mobility Scooters Code" (firstbus.co.uk)