Disability Access News

By Julian Whittle

DISABLED pass holders will still be able to travel free on Carlisle buses before 9.30am on weekdays – even though pensioners will soon have to pay.

Carlisle City Council is planning changes to its concessionary fares scheme from May to save £124,000 a year.

At present concessions can travel free all day. But from May 1, pensioners will have to pay before 9.30am on Mondays to Fridays although they can still travel free all day at weekends.

The restriction on free travel was to have applied to disabled pass holders too.

But the city council’s executive, meeting yesterday, changed its mind after hearing that some disabled passengers would suffer hardship.

Belah Conservative councillor David Morton, who is registered blind, campaigned for disabled travellers to be allowed to travel free all day.

He said after the meeting: “I know of a 44-year-old man who works three days a week and helps out at James Rennie School for two days.

“He earns £15. If he had to pay bus fares, £9 of that would be swallowed up leaving him with £6 a week.”

At first, bus company Stagecoach argued that it could not distinguish between disabled pass holders and pensioners. But it changed its mind after Mr Morton pointed out that tickets issued to disabled travellers were different.

A report to councillors said there had been “a number of approaches” from disabled people and their representatives. These argued that stopping free travel before 9.30am would hit disabled people attending college and those in low-paid work or with early-morning medical appointments.

The council’s deputy leader, Ray Bloxham, said: “This is a welcome step forward for those people with disabilities that are, in many cases, youngsters going to college or other appointments.”

The council is still planning to curtail free travel for pensioners, however.

It says it has to claw back cash because changes imposed by the government will leave it out of pocket.

From April 1, pensioners and other concessions will be able to travel free off peak anywhere in England.

At present they are entitled to free travel only in the district where they live.

The city council will have to foot the bill if a Carlisle pensioner, for example, travels to Newcastle. And it will have to pay if a visiting pensioner from somewhere else in England takes a ride along Hadrian’s Wall.

Labour has pledged to restore free all-day travel for pensioners if it wins control of the council after the elections on May 1.

Carlisle City Council says pensioners and other concessions will automatically be sent new bus passes valid from April 1.

There is no need to apply direct to the council.