Leader defends scrapping of free early bus travel (From The Northern Echo)

Leader defends scrapping of free early bus travel

11:33am Monday 3rd March 2008 in

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THE leader of Darlington Borough Council has defended a decision to scrap free early morning bus travel for the over-60s.

Thousands of town residents have put their name to petitions against the move, which will see pensioners denied concessions offered to senior citizens elsewhere in the country.

However, Councillor John Williams said the policy will not be changed.

Disabled people and the over- 60s will be entitled to free local bus travel nationwide under Government policy introduced on April 1, but in Darlington, travellers will have to pay for any journeys made before 9.30am.

In a letter to Conservative councillors Gill and Mike Cartwright - who collected signatures for one of the petitions - Coun Williams described the decision as "difficult", but said the cuts were necessary to "balance different needs" in the budget.

"The opportunity, newly introduced this year, for Darlington people to travel outside Darlington using the bus pass, is something many people have looked for and welcome," he said.

"The Government has allocated an additional £250m per year to fund the new national bus concession in England. The Department for Transport proposes that Darlington's share of this funding is £482,000.

"However, it is unlikely that this will cover the increased costs of operating the scheme and the council will use its own revenue to fund the shortfall.

"I appreciate that ideally free travel before 9.30am would have been provided but, in balancing this with other demands on the budget, we felt that many of those who currently travel before 9.30am have the opportunity to travel at different times."

Coun Williams said a Talking Together discussion evening will be arranged so residents can raise concerns with the council.

Darlington Pensioners' Forum collected more than 1,400 signatures against the plan. Another petition, of 300 names, was handed to the council by Harrowgate Hill councillor Gill Cartwright.

Councillor Cartwright said: "We are disappointed that the cabinet has chosen not to review this important decision which clearly many residents are unhappy with.

"Whatever happened to the pledge by the council to listen to residents? Residents have spoken and been ignored again."