Ticketing and Concessionary Travel on Public Transport - United ...

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Ev 140 Transport Committee: Evidence Restriction to OV Peak <strong>Travel</strong> The Bill going through Parliament only provides for a m<strong>and</strong>atory free local oV peak bus pass. Restricting concessions to oV-peak times prevents older people from travelling to an early medical appointment, morning adult education courses, or leisure activities with an early start time. Whilst the Government’s Bill will remove the barrier for older people travelling to a hospital appointment on the “other” side of a county/ district boundary, the failure to remove the peak time restriction for all means that older people who need to be at hospital for early appointments may still be forced to pay. Are concessionary fares schemes suYciently integrated across diVerent modes of transport <strong>and</strong> diVerent geographical areas? No. Whilst we have welcomed the free national bus provision, Help the Aged believes that there is a need for flexibility in provision of concessionary fares by local authorities. Help the Aged are extremely concerned that the Government’s Bill restricts itself to providing free travel on buses alone. Bus passes are of no use in areas there are no or poor bus services. Help the Aged would like to see provision made in the Bill for passes to be used for community transport in areas where the bus service is inadequate <strong>and</strong> for those who are unable to use public transport due to disabilities. Bus passes are also of limited use for the significant proportion of older people, who, due to disability or mobility problems (or because the services are not accessible enough) cannot use bus services. Many older people face barriers that prevent them from using bus services. A recent survey carried out by Help the Aged in Portsmouth identified the following reasons for older people avoiding bus use: — diYculty in carrying shopping on <strong>and</strong> oV the bus; — diYculty getting to <strong>and</strong> waiting at bus stops in bad weather; — buses unreliable; — diYculty in getting to/from bus stops to home or destination; — anxiety over anti-social behaviour; — diYculty in getting to a seat before the bus moves oV; — buses run at inconvenient or infrequent times; <strong>and</strong> — timetables diYcult to read. For some people who may not be registered disabled, <strong>and</strong> therefore not have access to the mobility components of benefit packages that those who become disabled before the age of 65 are entitled to, but nonetheless experience mobility diYculties, buses can be impractical <strong>and</strong> impossible to use. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a non-means-tested benefit for disabled people with care or mobility needs. People who become disabled <strong>and</strong> claim DLA before their 65th birthday can continue to receive it after the age of 65. However, people whose disability arises at or after the age of 65 (or who don’t claim help until after 65) can only claim the much more limited Attendance Allowance (AA). There is no mobility component to AA, meaning those aged 65 <strong>and</strong> over cannot receive help with mobility costs. For these people, a free bus pass is of no use whatsoever. There is a risk that insisting in statute on free bus passes will impact on the flexible provision provided by local authorities. In many local authorities, concessionary fares are available in a more flexible form, with the extra cost borne by local taxation. This Bill will not do anything to remove this postcode lottery <strong>and</strong> provide the same high st<strong>and</strong>ard flexible concessions for all. In 2006, the Social Exclusion Unit report A Sure Start to Later Life reinforced the need for flexibility in the provision of transport services for older people. It found that “older people have told us clearly that they value flexible, individualised transport services which can allow them to retain their independence within their local community.” In the report, problems accessing transport came out as an underpinning factor that contributed to every type of isolation of older people. At present any “enhancements” to the basic free oV peak local bus schemes, such as oVering tokens which can be used on taxis, trains or community transport schemes, have to be paid for by local councils. Evidence from a study that Help the Aged undertook in Portsmouth suggests that for a large minority of older people, such a scheme better meets their needs that a simple bus pass. Help the Aged want local authorities to oVer alternative concessions (eg tokens for taxis) for those who cannot use or don’t have access to buses. At the least, the DFT should be providing guidance for local authorities on how to oVer a flexible system of concessionary fares. March 2007
Introduction Memor<strong>and</strong>um from FirstGroup plc (TPT 23) Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 141 First is a UK based international transport group with bus <strong>and</strong> rail operations spanning the UK <strong>and</strong> North America. In the UK we are the largest rail operator. We operate the First Great Western, First ScotRail, First Capital Connect <strong>and</strong> the First Trans Pennine Express franchises <strong>and</strong> the UK’s only open access train service, Hull Trains. We carry more than 250 million passengers every year. We are also the largest bus operator in the UK. We operate approximately 9,000 buses operating across 40 towns <strong>and</strong> cities across the UK. We carry 2.8 million passengers every day. Integrated <strong>Ticketing</strong> 1. Is ticketing suYciently integrated across diVerent modes of transport <strong>and</strong> between diVerent geographical areas? <strong>Ticketing</strong> Across Modes 1.1 Our bus <strong>and</strong> rail operations work extensively with each other <strong>and</strong> other industry partners to deliver integrated transport. 1.2 The most significant development in recent years has been the introduction of PlusBus, allowing customers to purchase one day’s travel on a local bus network as an add-on to their rail ticket in a single transaction. This initiative is very much a creation of the bus <strong>and</strong> rail industry <strong>and</strong> has recently achieved national coverage across all major UK towns <strong>and</strong> cities (195 locations). 1.3 The add-on cost is usually priced attractively to incentivise take-up. Unlimited bus travel for the day in Manchester for example is available for a £1.70 add-on <strong>and</strong> Norwich for £1. Recent development of the scheme has included the introduction of PlusBus season tickets. These are currently available to 103 destinations with more due to be added. 1.4 PlusBus is underpinned by the highly sophisticated rail revenue allocation system which gives every destination a unique code <strong>and</strong> ensures each operator is automatically allocated the correct amount of money for the ticket purchased. 1.5 Otherwise many of our bus <strong>and</strong> rail companies are active participants in multi-modal ticketing schemes in large conurbations, typically oVering unlimited bus <strong>and</strong> rail travel for various zonal combinations. Examples include Metrocard in West Yorkshire <strong>and</strong> Zone <strong>Travel</strong> Master in South Yorkshire. 1.6 Where dem<strong>and</strong> exists it is not unusual to see other modal combinations in integrated ticketing. In our First ScotRail franchise for example, shipping services to the Western Isles are supported by the ability to buy through tickets from the rail network. <strong>Ticketing</strong> Between Different Geographical Areas 1.7 Within the rail industry ticketing integration across geographical boundaries is possible by means of the <strong>Ticketing</strong> <strong>and</strong> Settlement Agreement (TSA) in which all Train Operating Companies (TOCs) providing franchised train services are required to participate. This agreement allows through tickets for rail journeys throughout the UK to be booked with one transaction, with booking oYces oVering an impartial retailing service to customers, regardless of which TOC is selling tickets. This means it is simple to buy a ticket from York to Penzance. 1.8 Bus travel is inevitably more localised <strong>and</strong> the issue here is ensuring ticketing complies with natural travel to work, business or leisure trip patterns rather than administrative or bus company boundaries. In West Yorkshire we have a number of companies: Halifax/Huddersfield, Leeds <strong>and</strong> Bradford. Rather than a separate day ticket for each company a combined day ticket is available for £3.30 which recognises the interdependence between the four locations. 1.9 <strong>Concessionary</strong> fare areas, particularly where there is no countywide scheme, <strong>and</strong> therefore rely on discounts only for limited district council boundaries, are an obvious problem in this respect but any remaining diYculties will be solved in April 2008 with the introduction of the nationwide English scheme to match those in Scotl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Wales.
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House of Commons Transport Committe
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Contents Report Page 1 Introduction
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4 5. Smartcards offer a range of ne
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6 Integrated bus ticketing 10. Thro
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8 Long distance coach services are
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10 strategy, including those in the
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12 long-distance rail passengers ma
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14 services have not been put in pl
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16 Oyster on rail services in Londo
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18 4 Revenue protection and
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20 Staff safety 61. Transport staff
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22 66. An integrated ticketing syst
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24 Transport should commission an e
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26 concession authorities that attr
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28 operators and a
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30 List of recommendations Integrat
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32 Concessionary t
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34 Formal Minutes Clive Efford Mrs
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36 List of written evidence 1 Dr Ro
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38 List of Reports from the Committ
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Oral evidence Taken before the Tran
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14 November 2007 Mr Chris Austin, M
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Transport Committee: Evidence Ev 11
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14 November 2007 Mr Keith Halstead
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definition of severe disability <st
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about how the data on the smartcard
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things around it. We have got over
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which comes out of the usage of the
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the impact of their behaviour on ot
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Mr Harris: I am sorry, I am not goi
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12 December 2007 Mr Tom Harris MP <
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Q464 Chairman: Is Transport Direct
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3.2 Conclusion—Smartcard St<stron
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Integrated Transport Memora
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Question 68 Timings of Oyster <stro
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