Plan to drop free bus pass routes in Sussex revealed (From The Argus)

Plan to drop free bus pass routes in Sussex revealed

11:12am Thursday 1st January 2009

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Plans are being drawn up to ban pensioners and the disabled from using their free bus passes on hundreds of bus and coach journeys, The Argus can reveal.

The Government is consulting on controversial proposals to remove coach journeys, such as Brighton to London, some park-and-ride services and tourist buses from the nationwide concessionary bus scheme introduced in April.

The move follows lobbying from the coach industry over confusion about the scheme, and its administrative costs.

Although not advertised, more than 100 National Express routes are registered as local bus services and as a result are included in the free bus pass scheme, according to research by pass users.

These include coaches serving Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Gatwick.

Despite the lack of promotion, the Government estimates that 23,000 trips are likely to be made on coach services this year using the free passes and that the figure will rise steeply as more people become aware of the option.

The Government says removing these routes from the scheme is simply closing a loophole in the legislation. But users have reacted angrily to the news, saying they are being robbed of a valuable service.

They point to the fact coach operators will be still be able to claim a rebate on fuel duty, provided to those running local bus services, after the changes.

In the 12 months to March 2007, National Express received 12 million in bus services operators grants, although part of this money was to refund half-price tickets for pensioners and those with disabilities on longdistance coach journeys.

Daniel Stuart, 30, of East London, has used his bus pass frequently to visit a terminallyill relative in Brighton. He suffers from mental health problems and says the Government plans are disgusting.

He said: "Without this, I would not be able to afford to go."

It is also feared that park-and-ride services in Sussex as well as leisure buses, such as the routes to the Devil s Dyke and Ditchling Beacon, could be removed from the list of free services.

Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus Company, said the situation remained unclear.

He added: "It is a bit of a mess and I do not think this will make it any clearer."

Brighton and Hove City Council, which runs the concessionary bus scheme for the city, said: "The council is consulting on proposed new Government guidelines on concessionary bus fares."

The council could retain the leisure and park-and-ride routes at its own cost.

Norman Baker, MP for Lewes and Lib Dem transport spokesman, said: "This shows how the Government can take a popular scheme and make a complete hash of it.

"The reality is that local councils are underfunded.

"Instead of looking to shave back some of the services, it should be tackling the underlying problems."

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "This consultation is not looking to cut the number of services available to the 11 million eligible people but to remove uncertainty and clarify any anomalies that have come to light since the all England concession was introduced."

• For a full list of the National Express routes registered as local bus services click here.(Opens in PDF)

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