The Isle of Wight Council has launched a consultation on potential changes to its current concessionary travel scheme.
The proposed changes do not affect free travel arrangements for older and disabled residents who wish to travel on Island buses between 09:30 and 23:00, but do affect other travel times. Under the changes proposed free travel for a travelling companion of a disabled person would also be retained for bus journeys between 09:30 and 23:00.
However, the Council are looking to remove:
- the New Islander Card which provides additional free travel on Island buses and Islandline for those with a “severe and enduring mental health problem”;
- the New Islander Card element which gives free travel on Island buses and Islandline to a travelling companion of a person with a “severe and enduring mental health problem” and of those who meet the national disability criteria (the intention is to retain free travel for appropriate accompanying travel companions, between 9.30am and 11pm, and at any time on Saturdays, Sundays or bank holidays (for 24 hours));
- free travel on Island buses from 11 at night to 9.30 in the morning for all qualifying disabled people (except on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays when free 24 hour travel will remain);
- free travel on Islandline for all qualifying disabled people – as free travel is available on bus services operating in parallel.
The Island’s concessionary travel scheme cost the council £4.72million in 2017/18, for both mandatory and additional discretionary elements.
The new proposals amend the current scheme which was introduced in 2008, and would align the Island to many other parts of the country and enable the council to make savings in the process.
Cabinet member for public transport, Councillor Ian Ward, said:
“For some time we have been looking carefully at the extra discretionary elements we provide for Islanders, above and beyond what is available in many other parts of England.
“This consultation will seek people’s views on how we can fairly and acceptably amend the scheme to bring us in line with a lot of other parts of the country, and generate savings to benefit Islanders in other service areas.
Article continues below this advertisement “We are also looking at the issue of medical appointments and whether the removal of the pre-9.30am free travel element would disadvantage some people, and through discussions with the clinical commissioning group whether this could be overcome in terms of appointment times to ensure those affected can still enjoy free bus travel.”
The consultation can be accessed by visiting https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ConcessionaryTravelSchemeConsultation. The consultation ends on at midday on Tuesday 8th October 2019.
Take free bus passes off those who own cars – if you own a car and perfectly able to drive then a free bus pass is not needed, necessary or fair on those who do need one, can’t get one or limited to when it can be used.
Yes that’s correct Penny, get more people into cars Dah!
Good idea Penny, get more people into cars!
If I can read English well enough I think the comment was about people who already own a car so are you saying it would be better for that bought and paid for car to be just laid up while people caught the bus?
So yet again the vulnerable suffer at the hands of this inept joke of a council
The most vulnerable being targeted – my disabled daughter’s bus pass enables her to get from Cowes to Haylands Farm without having to rely on us- she will never be able to work or drive due to her disabilities- so has no choice.
Make it cheeper to travel its a joke you can only buy singles £3.50 each way is a lot out of a familys budget per adult lower fairs will mean people will travel out more to local towns and support local shops
There’s obviously a problem here between the Council and what is probably the most expensive bus fares in the country
Why do disabled people get free travel at night and not pensioners
Despicable!! Yet again targeting the most vulnerable… shocking behaviour !!!
Just out of curiosity just how much is this consultation costing ? So many cutbacks already little or no services to help people and again target the vulnerable it’s disgraceful
The point I’m making is that there are people who own cars able to drive but take advantage of free bus passes to avoid costs of petrol parking charges etc. So they enjoy the best of both worlds … people who can’t afford a car, aren’t able to drive a car for whatever reason are penalised with travelling times etc limited due to the high costs to the council… if people were means tested for these freebies a lot less concessionary bus passes would be issued thus freeing up revenue for those in need with no choice.
I’m guessing Mr Angry you enjoy the best of both worlds?
Typical target the vulnerable and those with mental health issues a large percentage of whom there bus pass is a lifeline disgusting way to treat people iow council
I need to be able to keep using my bus pass before 9.30 to get me to haylands farm. I have disabilities so can not drive and rely on my bus pass.
Please do not keep targeting the people who need it most