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

Ev 200 Transport Committee: Evidence
Next in 2002 the EU ruled that men should not be discriminated against <strong>and</strong> be eligible aged 60 same as
women <strong>and</strong> money was also provided in the general grant <strong>and</strong> again not ring fenced for that purpose. That
equalising of gender had some disbenefits for a considerable number of men were still at work <strong>and</strong> used the
pass to go to <strong>and</strong> fro, quite legally but it brought forward the statement that the pass was essentially for
leisure <strong>and</strong> pleasure, provided for persons on a pensionable income. That was the start of the “Perk” rather
than “Freedom Pass” as an essential right debate which I shall come back to later.
In his Budget speech of 2005 the then Chancellor announced free bus travel for pensioners to commence
in April 2006 which is the scheme in operation as I sit here on a sunny Sunday morning boring you all with
this. Whilst it was well intentioned <strong>and</strong> it would be churlish to complain the scheme did cause considerable
confusion. The key words “Bus Only” <strong>and</strong> “Local” meant that diVerent authorities interpreted it in diVerent
ways. Some improved on that minimum, others restricted existing schemes of value to pensioners to pay for
the m<strong>and</strong>atory bus free pass which they were obliged to provide. I have over 50 examples of anomalies with
regard to application covering many aspects of the scheme but to list them would be of little value.
£212 million was the figure Central Government put towards this <strong>and</strong> on funding again many arguments
took place about how fair or unfair the allocation was. Again I could quote many examples, over 20 at least.
SuYcient to say the money was not ring fenced <strong>and</strong> it was used in diVerent ways.
These problems are still ongoing but as it will change yet again in a few weeks time I will move to the 2008
position. In doing so may I remind you that NPC in the Pensioner Charter says: “Free nationwide travel on
ALL public <strong>and</strong> local Transport”.
Again in his Budget speech of 2006 the then Chancellor announced free travel nationwide from April
2008. This fundamental change required an Act of Parliament. We therefore examined the Bill as it passed
through both Houses of Parliament <strong>and</strong> proposed for The Bus <strong>Concessionary</strong> <strong>Travel</strong> Bill (Engl<strong>and</strong>) several
amendments to improve what we saw as shortcomings. One needs to note the words “Bus” <strong>and</strong> “Engl<strong>and</strong>”
in the title. We essentially wished to broaden the definition from Bus to Public Service Vehicle but our eVorts
were in vain. We had a number of other amendments <strong>and</strong> concerns but again space prevents my listing them.
When it was clear we would get no change to the Act I along with our President Frank Cooper was able
to see the Minister Rosie Winterton MP <strong>and</strong> leave with her <strong>and</strong> her advisers a detailed document. Part of
that document is given below so you should see that we have tried to cover everything we can reasonably
cover without appearing too unappreciative of the intention.
There will still be no equality across the country, <strong>and</strong> even across Engl<strong>and</strong>. The exclusion of train, tram,
Metro <strong>and</strong> Underground means confusion <strong>and</strong> uncertainty when people with the new Nationwide Bus Pass
travel within large conurbations.
The potential exclusion of Dial-a-Ride/Taxi Card from the concession remains a genuine concern, not
withst<strong>and</strong>ing Clause 8 which suggests a future Secretary of State could add entitlements <strong>and</strong> modes of
transport. Many older <strong>and</strong> disabled people are unable to use the buses for obvious reasons.
It is also unclear how the Government can agree with another EU State (Republic of Irel<strong>and</strong>) on the issue
of cross border bus, train <strong>and</strong> tram travel for older persons, when the arrangements with Wales <strong>and</strong> Scotl<strong>and</strong>
are unclear for bus only.
Likewise, the anomaly that enables a Northern Irel<strong>and</strong> pensioner to cross into southern Irel<strong>and</strong>, but
prevents them from travelling within the rest of the UK, also needs to be addressed.
Local authorities in tourist areas have claimed they will receive insuYcient additional funding for the new
scheme, because it ignores the extra dem<strong>and</strong> that will be generated by older tourists visiting the area.
Teignmouth for example claim they will receive £1.1 million, but need double. Is this genuine concern part
of the overall funding formula? NPC believes local businesses in such resorts benefit from the influx of
Pensioners <strong>and</strong> this cross benefit should be recognised.
The NPC continues to have diYculty in reconciling the claims of the former Secretary of State during
debate that free travel would be allowed, “. . . for example from Cornwall to Cambridgeshire or from Durham
to Dorset” with the fact that coaches will only be obliged to provide the National Concession where their
routes have stops less than 15 miles apart.
It is also unclear whether Park <strong>and</strong> Ride or Tour Buses are included in the concession.
The financial formula is clearly complicated <strong>and</strong> open to diVerent interpretations; which has lead to many
councils already using the pensioner travel issue as a reason for possible Council Tax rises. However,
evidence from Wales suggests that there has been a 10% increase in paid for travel since the introduction of
free travel. Such cross benefits must therefore be used more often to challenge costs.
The NPC also notes that pensioner free travel on trains on the Heart of Wales’s line <strong>and</strong> on the Conwy
Valley has doubled the passengers using the routes <strong>and</strong> some trains have had to be increased in length. The
Heart of Wales Forum stated: “We are seeing over a 1,000 extra journeys a week <strong>and</strong> by encouraging people
to use Public Transport we achieve a number of benefits. Firstly we provide mobility to the many that do not
have access to a car, <strong>and</strong> secondly we are bringing business to the many small communities along the line who
depend on tourism <strong>and</strong> doing this without adding to road congestion”. (Source: Western Mail). The NPC is
therefore concerned that more prominence should be given to these multi modal benefits.