Lancashire County Council has announced its intention to change the terms and conditions under which Disabled Persons’ Concessionary Bus Passes (NoW Cards) can be used.
At present, holders of cards issued on grounds of disability can be used before 09.30 on Monday to Friday on payment of a flat fare of £1. This concession is not available to holders of NoW cards issued on grounds of age. The council intends of remove the additional concession so that all pass holders would have to pay the full adult fare if travelling before 09.30.
The £1 fare was increased from 50p in 2018 and at the time the council said that the biggest use of the concession was by people travelling to medical appointments, followed by leisure, education, shopping and then work. A consultation exercise at the time claimed that only 4% of respondents said the increase would make their journey unaffordable. However, the consultation also showed that for some users the ability to pay with a single coin was important. This was maintained in 2018 but will not necessarily be so this time, depending on what happens to the £2 cap on adult bus fares in the budget. This is what we said in 2018: https://lancsbus.blogspot.com/2018/11/fare-increase-for-disabled-passholders.html
You can read the council’s statement here: https://news.lancashire.gov.uk/news/have-your-say-on-proposed-changes-to-nowcard-trans-scheme
New Consultation
The council is running a consultation on the move, which will be open until 18th November. It takes the form on an online question-and-answer form that asks about the effect the change would have on individuals. The Bus Users’ Group will be responding to the consultation via other means, but if you or anyone you know is likely to be affected here is the direct link to the consultation questionnaire. https://online1.snapsurveys.com/interview/5d962249-3fe0-48f7-8d31-e640eb813d67
If you need the questionnaire in a different format please telephone 0300 123 6734 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/haveyoursay
What do we think?
The Bus Users’ Group understands the financial position that all councils are in after ten years of austerity during which their funding from central government has been severely cut. However, it seems odd that at a time when a county council initiative has seen a £1 fare offered to all passengers in the evenings and on Sundays throughout the county, a very similar offer should be withdrawn from one disadvantaged sector of society.
We also wonder how much the council will save as a result of this move. Any passholders travelling for leisure or shopping will be able to rearrange their journeys so as to travel after 09.30 and the same will apply to those who are able to arrange medical appointments to later in the day, as senior passholders already do. The council will still have to reimburse bus companies for these journeys but will lose the £1 contribution that passholders currently make.
Lancaster Bus Users' Group 