Consultation on Reimbursement Arrangements for the Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme in England - Ends 11/11/2010
- Date published:
- 17 September 2010
- Closing date:
- 11 November 2010
Summary
Consultation on Reimbursement Arrangements for the Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme in England.
This consultation is seeking views on revised reimbursement guidance for the scheme, the proposed associated legislative changes and future options for more radical reform.
The Reimbursement Calculator which goes with the new guidance is undergoing some final validations checks and will be published here in due course.
Download documents
Consultation on reimbursement arrangements for the Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme in England (96 kb)
- Published:
- 17 September 2010
Concessionary travel for older and disabled people: guidance on reimbursing bus operators - draft (466 kb)
- Published:
- 17 September 2010
Annex B -Impact Assessment (193 kb)
- Published:
- 17 September 2010
Consultation response form (317 kb)
- Published:
- 17 September 2010
Reply to consultation
Tel: 0207 944 5427
Email: concessionaryfares@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Post:
Concessionary Travel
Department for Transport
3/21, Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
PDF version
I recieved this reply to an email about this on the 22nd November 2010
"Dear John,
Many thanks for your inquiry- my apologies that you have not received a reply sooner. As you are probably aware, it has recently become for this Bill to proceed due to action by the Mayor of London. Following a response by the Mayor at Mayor’s Question Time on 14th September, the Transport Commissioner, Peter Hendy, wrote to London Councils to inform us that TfL would not continue with the five-year deal or support our legislation to make changes to the Reserve Scheme and rail provisions (the amendments in the proposed Bill). In the letter, Mr Hendy said that:
“TfL now faces cuts to its government grant. This makes it impossible for TfL to absorb the gap between the cost of the Freedom Pass scheme and the settlements provided for in the five year deal. As a result, TfL is no longer in a position to sign the draft deal. Recent circumstances have been quite exceptional and would have led to TfL exercising its right to terminate even if the deal had been signed last year. TfL agreed to support arbitration for the Reserve Scheme settlement as part of the negotiations leading up to the five year deal package. Without this being in place, TfL does not believe the proposed changes to the statutory framework surrounding the Freedom Pass are appropriate.”
I am sorry that you have taken the time to email us even though this Bill is no longer under proposition."
The recent publication by HM Government dated 20th October 2010.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE SPENDING REVIEW
The Coalition Government’s Spending Review set out today provides a fair though challenging settlement for local government. It reflects the clear priorities for the Spending Review as a whole: to bring down the massive budget deficit and drive economic growth, while protecting the interests of hardworking families and the most vulnerable in society.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/localgovernment/pdf/1745945.pdf
"Minor changes" to concessionary bus passes will hit vulnerable people with with autism
Dear Department for Transport,
The Department for Transport have apparently set new rules re: who is eligible to apply for concessionary bus passes. It came to our attention only when Essex County Council changed their rules for applications.
In Essex, only disabled people who are in receipt of the higher rate Mobility component of DLA will qualify for the free bus pass. Chelmsford Borough Council and Braintree District Council application forms clearly state that the applicant must have the HIGHER RATE Mobility to qualify. There were other qualifying conditions, i.e. applicant Blind or has a Blue Badge, but nothing that would cover autism.
That must surely mean that most of the Autistic community will be disqualified from applying for a free bus pass, we do not know of ANYONE who gets the Higher Rate mobility component - because DLA is so VERY VERY HARD TO GET, if you have a HIDDEN disability.
The DLA form is geared up mainly to physical disability in any case, and effectively excludes many needy vulnerable people with autism / HIDDEN disability. It is also assessed by people who do not understand hidden disability such as learning difficulties or autism.
These "minor" eligibility changes are utterly unfair and will mean a lot of people with autism who are already struggling financially (because of widespread lack of access to work and benefits, and total lack of ANY support) will be penalised.
Re: "Minor changes". I think this must be the appropriate page?
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses...
Q: When is a "minor" change a devastating change?
A: When a new rule / policy fails to be informed and throught through with regard for fairness, equality or consideration of HIDDEN disability (which is so wearingly and depressingly often misunderstood, and judged, by those who are too intellectually lazy to research and try and understand it).
Why were these changes made?
Who made them?
Who was consulted?
What information informed this decision?
It seem that as usual when money is tight, the most vulnerable -
who are already suffering - have to suffer more.
Thank you
A freedom of information request http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/minor_changes_to_concessionary_b
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/free_bus_passes_only_for_those_w
Summary
These reports cover the research into the reimbursement of revenues and costs to bus operators for carrying concessionary passengers. The research was undertaken by the ITS, University of Leeds, Professor Phil Goodwin and Andrew Last (Minnerva).
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