Funding of pensioner bus pass in doubt? (Swindon Liberal Democrats)

Swindon Liberal Democrats <info@swindonlibdems.org>

Funding of pensioner bus pass in doubt?

July 4, 2005 1:37 PM

Pensioners should receive free bus passes

Swindon Liberal Democrats call upon the Government to fully fund the free bus pass scheme for pensioners as promised in Chancellor Brown's pre-election budget earlier this year, as fears grow that local Council Tax bills will soar to subsidise this broken Labour promise.

Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson, Cllr Stan Pajak (Eastcott Ward) said:

"The Labour government announced the half fare concessionary bus pass would become a free bus pass from April 2006. Chancellor Gordon Brown made this announcement in his 16th March budget, but now that local councils are seeking full funding for this promise, the government have gone strangely silent."

"At Swindon Borough Council we invest nearly £870,000 in public transport subsidy for pensioners bus and train journeys. As councillors begin to plan the 2006/07 Council Tax, we need an assurance that we can trust Gordon Brown to keep his promise to fully fund the free bus pass. To date department of transport officials in London will inform Councils how much money they will receive at the end of the year.

"This is just not good enough. How are we supposed to consult Swindon residents on Council Tax when we don't know if a new scheme for public transport will be funded in full or not."

Where the grant funding from the Government currently goes:

Half-fare travel [2004/05 funding]: £667,100
£40 trip vouchers [2004/05 funding]: £129,500
Rail Pass [2004/05 funding]: £31,100
Community Travel [2004/05 funding]: £41,400

Cllr Pajak has written to Swindon's two Labour MPs seeking their support for the new bus passes to be fully funded by the government. Liberal Democrats have also tabled a motion to Full Council on 20th July asking the whole Council to lobby government for full funding.

Cllr Stan Pajak continued:

"My local Liberal Democrat colleagues and I are supportive of the Government's initiative. Indeed free public transport for pensioners was one of our '10 pledges for government' by the Liberal Democrats before the Chancellor made his surprise announcement in his pre-election budget.

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Liberal Democrat Motion:

" Swindon Borough Council welcomes the introduction of free bus travel for people aged 60 and over after 9.30am on weekdays and all day at weekends.

Swindon Borough Council calls upon the Government to fully fund free bus travel for the over 60s so that none of the cost will fall on the Council Tax."

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