Information below reflects current support for 2020-21 academic year and may be subject to change in 2021-22.
Subsidised Transport support
Start your new journey with us at Blackpool Sixth by taking advantage of our subsidised transport options.
Blackpool Sixth recognises that the cost of transport is a concern for some young people and their families. Our subsidised transport schemes not only help with transport costs to and from college but could also provide unlimited travel throughout the day, including evenings, weekends and during the college holidays.
More details about our subsidised transport schemes (Blackpool Transport, Stagecoach and the college bus) are below:
Blackpool Transport
**ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19**
Working with Blackpool Transport, we are hoping to launch a new subsidised digital monthly Smartcard to our students over the next few months. Students will pay £40 monthly to the college, and will receive a digital monthly pass using the Blackpool Transport app. More details of this will follow but for now, more information about the new scheme can be found below:
| Transport provider | Subsidised price |
| **ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19**
Blackpool Transport Digital Smart Card • valid 7 days a week & during holidays • receive July & August travel for free* Covers the following areas: Blackpool, Fleetwood, Thornton-Cleveleys, Bispham, Over Wyre & Lytham St. Annes *providing consecutive payments are made with no missed months from the month of introduction to June 2021 |
**ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19**
Monthly instalments of £40† (£40 per month from the month of introduction to June 2021) Equivalent monthly Blackpool Transport ticket priced at £47.50 for a 30 day 16-21 young person ticket when purchased directly on a Blackpool Transport bus† †Blackpool Sixth recommends students download the Blackpool Transport App and purchase Young Person Tickets directly from the app until the above offer with the college becomes available. This offers students the flexibility to choose daily passes, 5 individual passes, weekly passes or 30 day passes, which works out cheaper than making the purchase on the bus. |
Existing students 2020-21:
Blackpool Transport Smartcards will no longer be issued for our existing students that pay for their travel through college. This is to ensure that we can maintain safe social distancing practices by reducing the need for students to come into the Student Finance office to purchase a travel pass. Also, with improving technology on the buses this will soon mean that Smartcards will no longer work.
Until then, we are advising all students (new and existing) to download the Blackpool Transport app and purchase Young Person tickets directly from this app until the new offer becomes available. The Blackpool Transport app offers students the flexibility to choose daily passes, 5 individual passes, weekly passes or 30 day passes, which works out cheaper than making the purchase on the bus.
This option of purchasing your ticket remotely offers more flexibility without the need to purchase your travel pass directly from the Student Finance office at college. Purchasing directly from the app may also work out cheaper than purchasing monthly passes directly on the bus. Below are prices using the app in comparison to purchasing directly on the bus:
Blackpool Transport ticket prices:
| Blackpool Transport App | Purchased on bus | ||
| 16-21 24hr pass | £3.20 | 16-21 24hr pass | £3.80 |
| 16-21 5 x 24hr passes | £14.00 | n/a | n/a |
| 16-21 7 day pass | £13.00 | 16-21 7 day pass | £14.00 |
| 16-21 30 day pass | £45.50 | 16-21 30 day pass | £47.50 |
Blackpool Transport digital tickets FAQ
What does the Blackpool Transport app do?
The Blackpool Transport (BTS) app can be used for planning your journey, checking timetables, buying travel tickets and more. Your mobile ticket is activated and used in the ‘Mobile Tickets’ section.
How do I obtain my mobile travel ticket?
If you’re buying your ticket directly from the Blackpool Transport app, you can buy and pay for your ticket using a debit/credit card or Apple/Android Pay. If somebody else is paying for your ticket, they can buy it online at:
https://www.blackpooltransport.com/mobile-tickets
and have the ticket sent directly to your phone. Once you’ve got your ticket, follow the instructions for getting verified and using your ticket.
When the new subsidised offer becomes available you will be able to purchase your travel ticket directly form Student Finance at Blackpool Sixth Form. Your ticket will be emailed to your college email address and you will just follow the instructions in the email to redeem and activate your travel ticket.
*Until the college subsidised Blackpool Transport scheme becomes available, students will need to purchase their tickets directly from Blackpool Transport*
Do I need Internet on my phone to use my ticket?
You need to connect to the internet via a 4G connection or WiFi every 72 hours to continue to use your ticket. This is so that your app can download the latest ticket codes which is used to prevent fraud. As long as you have opened the app and connected to the internet within 72 hours, you won’t need internet access in order to use your ticket.
I don’t have internet access on my phone – what can I do?
Every Blackpool Transport bus has free WiFi available, so just be sure to connect each time you travel. It’s also useful to connect to your college or home WiFi to keep your app up to date.
My ticket says I need to get ‘verified’ before I can use it – what do I do?
Depending on which ticket you are using to travel, some tickets, such as Young Person tickets bought directly from the mobile app require verification before use. This is to make sure only customers who aged 16-21 can use these tickets. Just follow the instructions on your screen. Verification is automatic and you don’t need to go anywhere, just upload your proof of age once. Verification usually takes less than 5-minutes but please allow up to 24 hours.
Can I access my ticket on more than one mobile device?
No, you’ll only be able to use your mobile ticket on one device at a time. If you lose your phone, you will be able to login on another device, but this will log you out on the original device. This is to prevent more than one person using the same ticket. Be careful not to log in or out of your mobile app account multiple times as this will result in your account being locked for 8 hours.
I’ve been locked out of my account – what can I do?
If this happens it is likely because you have logged in or out too many times within a short space of time. Your account will only be locked if there is suspected fraudulent activity. If this happens, contact Blackpool Transport.
Can I buy a ticket on my phone for a friend?
No, because mobile ticketing is intended to be used by the owner of the phone, you won’t be able to use more than one ticket on the same device.
Who do I contact if I have a problem with my ticket?
If you have a problem with your mobile app which is preventing you from buying or accessing your mobile ticket you should contact Blackpool Transport.
More information on the Blackpool Transport app and how to download it can be found by clicking on the following link: https://www.blackpooltransport.com/app
Stagecoach:
The Stagecoach monthly travel card, which doubles up as your membership card, can be purchased from the Student Finance office at the monthly price of £40 and includes summer travel (July and August) free.
If you would like to purchase a Stagecoach travel card, please come to the Student Finance office in September with £80 cash or card payment. The initial payment covers September and October travel and you will then be able to set up a standing order with your bank for future payments. Setting up a standing order will help ensure that payments are made on time and that we can maintain safe social distancing practices, although cash and card payments will still be accepted in the Student Finance office.
More details about the Stagecoach travel card scheme for 2020-21, and the benefits of purchasing this travel card through college are below:
| Transport provider | Subsidised price |
| Stagecoach • valid 7 days a week & during holidays
• receive July & August travel for free Covers the following areas: Lancaster, Garstang, Poulton, Blackpool and Preston |
10 x monthly instalments of £40 Equivalent monthly Stagecoach ticket priced at £109.00 for a 28 day North West 4 week Megarider when purchased directly from Stagecoach
Purchased directly from Student Finance at college |
If you would like to purchase a subsidised Stagecoach bus pass then please come to Student Finance in September with £80, as we require payment for September and October travel at collection. We will then give you a Stagecoach travel card.
College bus
Blackpool Sixth provides its own FREE BUS SERVICE. There are two routes from Freckleton and Lytham and the service runs twice a day (please see below leaflets for more information on the routes and times of these two services).
The college bus travel card, which doubles up as your membership card, can be purchased from the Student Finance office by paying a deposit of £20 at collection, which will be refunded at the end of the academic year or the return of the card, whichever is sooner.
More details about the college bus travel card scheme for 2020-21 are below:
| Transport provider | Subsidised price |
| Blackpool Sixth College Bus • services run twice a day (once in the morning to college and once in reverse after college finishes)
Lytham bus covers the following area: Lytham St. Annes Kirkham bus covers the following areas: Freckleton, Warton, Wrea Green, Kirkham, Wesham, Elswick and Great Eccleston |
Deposit of £20 to be paid at collection and refunded at the end of the academic year Students can trial the college bus without a travel pass for the first week of the academic year. After this, a pass must be purchased.
Purchased directly from Student Finance at college |
If you would like to sign up to one of these free college bus services then please come to the Student Finance office with £20, and you will be issued with a college bus travel card.
For more information on about any of the above subsidised transport schemes or for general transport enquiries please contact Student Finance by emailing student.finance@blackpoolsixth.ac.uk or calling Student Finance directly on 01253 307096.
Please note: Student Finance will be very busy during the enrolment days so we advise that enquiries are sent to the above email address first before calling the above number as lines may be very busy. Someone will respond to your email enquiry within one working day.
