Funding squeeze sees free bus travel for elderly and disabled ‘cut by 40%’

Funding to provide free bus travel for the elderly and disabled in England has been cut by 40% forcing cash-strapped councils to subsidise the scheme, peers have heard.

Labour has argued the Government’s “consistent attack” on local government budgets had hit the ability of councils to support vital, but non-profitable services.

Ministers said local authorities had an important role to play in supporting bus services and that millions of pounds had been devolved to help in this.

The Government also pointed out £2 billion of public money was currently being provided each year for transport services.

Speaking during a debate in the House of Lords on bus services, opposition spokesman Lord Rosser said: “The Government’s consistent attack on local government budgets over the last six years has led to a reduction in the ability of local government to provide the money to provide bus services, which are needed but which commercial operators will not provide themselves because they would not be profitable to run.”

The funding squeeze meant councils had been forced to review the extent to which they continued to provide bus services to communities, he argued.

The Labour peer said more than half of local authorities in England had cut funding for buses in the last year to 18 months and some 40% had removed or withdrawn services.

Some 70% of of local authorities had cut support for bus services since 2010, he added.

Highlighting the concessionary bus fare scheme, Lord Rosser went on: “One third of all bus journeys are undertaken by the 10 million older and disabled people with concessionary bus passes.

“Councils have a statutory duty to provide free off-peak bus travel but funding for the scheme has been cut by nearly 40% which means that increasingly councils are having to subsidise this free travel at a time when they are struggling to provide vital services such as adult social care, protecting children and collecting household rubbish.”

Responding to the debate, transport minister Lord Ahmad restated the Tory administration’s commitment to protect the concessionary scheme in England.

He said: “The Government is fully aware of the importance of affordable, accessible transport, particularly for older and disabled people.”

He added: “I know that there have been calls for the scheme to be amended in order to mitigate costs, however, the bus provides much needed help for around 10 million of the most vulnerable people in society, providing them with greater freedom, independence and a lifeline, often, to their local community.

“It also brings benefits to the wider economy.”

Copyright (c) Press Association Ltd. 2016, All Rights Reserved. Picture (c) Julien Behal / PA Wire.