UK: Proposal to scrap free bus travel for pensioners rejected

. LONDON, England / The Guardian / Politics / Transport / August 7, 2009 Local Government Association disowns key finding from report it commissioned By Andrew Sparrow, senior political correspondent Ministers and council leaders today rejected a proposal in a report commissioned by the Local Government Association suggesting free bus travel for all pensioners should be abolished. David Sparks, the LGA spokesman for transport, said: "Councils are emphatically not in favour of means testing free bus fares. Bus concessions for pensioners are popular and councils wholeheartedly support them." The LGA found itself in the unusual position of disowning one of the key findings in a report it funded after organisations representing pensioners reacted angrily to suggestions that free bus passes could be abolished. The report was commissioned after the LGA, which represents all councils in England, concluded that £2.5bn spent subsidising bus services does not represent value for money. In its report, Oxera, a consultancy, said the money could be better spent. One of its proposals was for better-off pensioners to lose their right to free bus travel. "Although the [concessionary fares] scheme has helped to improve social inclusion, there is also evidence that the scheme is targeted too widely, benefiting many people on higher incomes and with access to cars (ie those not affected by social exclusion and accessibility issues before the introduction of the scheme)," Oxera said. But the LGA said that, although there were "real problems" with the way the concessionary fare scheme operated, it did not accept the Oxera recommendation. Sparks said: "We are clear that means testing is not a way forward." The government also rejected the proposal. "There are no plans to make the concessionary bus pass means tested. The intention of the bus travel concession has always been to ensure that no older or disabled person in England need be prevented from local bus travel by cost alone. "For many it can be a lifeline, providing access to everyday services as well as allowing people to visit family and friends," a spokesman for the Department for Transport said. "We're confident there is enough money in the system in total. However, we recognise that some councils have concerns. "That is why we have recently consulted on the administration of the scheme, and are also looking at options on whether to distribute the special grant in a different way to ensure the funding is fairly distributed across the country. Any such move would, of course, be subject to further consultation." Labour promised free bus travel for pensioners before the 2005 election. The scheme originally just allowed pensioners free travel in the area where they lived, but it was extended to cover bus travel around the country. [rc] © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009