Warwickshire County Council Cabinet considers concessionary travel

Warwickshire County Council is considering maintaining concessionary travel in the county from 9am to midnight under proposed new arrangements for the service.

A report to the county council's cabinet recommends that an enhanced service currently funded by the district and borough councils will continue when the authority takes over the administration of concessionary travel from April 1.

The current statutory scheme only allows travel between 9.30am and 11pm Mondays to Fridays and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays. In Warwickshire, travel has been enhanced to enable an earlier start from 9am and an extra hour in the evening.

Cllr Alan Cockburn, Warwickshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Environment and Economy said: "This report outlines the discretionary options that exist in Warwickshire and recommends that from April next year the county council operates a statutory service but retains the benefit of an extra half an hour in the morning so that residents can use their passes from 9am.

"The consultation shows that people have strong feelings on this issue and we have listened and will certainly take on board everyone's views when the cabinet meets to discuss the report next week."

The report, to be considered by the cabinet on November 18, follows a consultation in which 80 per cent of 3,400 respondents to the survey expressed a strong preference for the free travel from 9am to be retained. Concessionary travel is provided to 100,000 Warwickshire residents who are eligible if they are of retirement age or have a disability.

Officers took into account the impact of removing free travel before 9.30am on passengers who live in rurally isolated communities, some of which are only served by a few buses during the daytime.

If approved by cabinet, the new arrangements will mean no new companion passes will be issued from April. These are currently only provided by Warwick District and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Councils for an individual to accompany particularly frail pass holders. There is no funding to roll out this additional benefit across the county but all existing passes will be honoured until their expiry date.

For more information please visit the website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/concessionarytravel