Concessionary Bus Travel Bill [Lords]

It is a temptation that I can resist. For the 2006 scheme, only one local authority out of the 15 believed that it had been given sufficient resources. I accept that that is only a straw poll, which is random in its selection and, I suspect, not necessarily statistically sound. Let us consider in depth the case of Christchurch. The chief executive of the local authority wrote to me last year. He said that Christchurch has the highest percentage—36 per cent.—of population over the age of 60 of any local authority in England and Wales. In 2005-06, Christchurch’s half-fare scheme cost the council approximately £138,000. For the scheme that was to be introduced in April 2006, the Government increased the grant by £237,000. Christchurch added £20,000 of its own money to that. The total concessionary grant was therefore £395,000. However, the take-up was significantly greater than expected and the budget was overspent by 87 per cent.—some £345,000, which is equivalent to an increase of 11 per cent. in the borough’s element of the council tax. Christchurch had to make budget cuts elsewhere, including in its recycling programmes. However, not only Christchurch or the leafy south have such problems. Let us examine the problems of implementation in the north-east. Recently, The Journal in Newcastle ran the headline: ““More bus services could be cut as transport chiefs prepare for changes to a free travel scheme.”” It reported:"““In April next year concessionary fares will change to allow pensioners and disabled people free off-peak bus travel anywhere in England. The cost of providing this will have to be met by the council in which the bus is boarded.""But transport group Nexus says that the £212 million put aside by central government to finance the changes will not be enough, especially for councils with tourists and shopping hotspots.””" The problem applies throughout the country.