Transport bosses in the West Midlands are promising pensioners an even better deal than that offered by Chancellor Gordon Brown in this week’s Budget.
Over 65s in the area already get free travel passes in what has long been the most generous concession scheme in the country.
“This is a welcome opportunity to extend our scheme even further and it is good news that other cities around the country have been promised the funding so they can follow our lead,” comments Cllr Gary Clarke, chairman of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority, which is run by a Conservative-Labour coalition.
Currently West Midlands residents over 65 get free travel and those aged 60 to 64 qualify for half-fare travel. The Budget statement implies they will all get free off-peak travel from April next year.
Centro, the public body that operates the concessions in the busiest public transport area outside London, says it will need to check the small-print of the Budget to see how the new funding is allocated. Centro’s scheme applies to local trams and all train services, as well as buses.
“I would hope we can promise pensioners in the West Midlands that the new concession scheme will include all modes of public transport, not just local buses,” adds Cllr Clarke. “We believe in integrated transport as the best way forward, so we will be looking for clarification as to why Gordon Brown only talks of bus travel. He should be promising investment in regional rail services and light rail too.”
Even though most pensioners in the West Midlands are already offered free travel, the actual take-up of passes and the number of trips made has continued to fall. Analysis seems to point to demographic factors being the most significant – with the preponderance of fitter, more-active pensioners who have become more used to higher car ownership and use in their earlier lives. The days of pensioners selling their car and applying for a ‘bus pass’ as soon as they reach their 60th birthday are long gone, according to national statistics.
“We cannot assume that anyone, of any age, will give up their car unless there are some radical improvements to the public transport offer,” comments Cllr Clarke. “Bus companies need to raise their game and we all need to work together to tackle congestion and provide greater mobility for people in our major cities.”
