Bus Passes: One Step Forward.

I note that its reported in the Parish Magazine that the parish council are tom contact Angela Browning regarding complaints regarding the new national bus pass scheme. I would imagine that this relates to the ban on pass holders using their passes before 09.30. There is, I would say another equally serious flaw in the current Bus pass setup.

The National bus pass scheme introduced in England in april whilst it has undoubtedly opened up travel on public transport to a wide range of disadvantaged people, is in fact less comprehensive then its Scottish equivelant. In Scotland there is no restriction on people using their passes from 09.00, and more importantly, it allows disabled people to have carers or friends accompany them free of charge. This means that people with mobility problems can have assistance in travelling without the added worry of needing to be concerned about the travelling expenses incurred by a companion. Although the Scottish bus pass scheme is now having its funding reviewed by the scottish government, ironically because of the success of the scheme, if the authorities in England are serious about extending access to public transport to the elderly and disabled, as well as cuting reliance on private cars, something along the lines of the Scottish scheme should be introduced.