A man who campaigned to reverse cuts to a bus and tram travel scheme for older people and those with disabilities says many pass holders are still unaware they can now use public transport for free during peak hours.
Under the Transport Act 2000 and the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme, councils have a duty to provide concessionary bus travel, but only off-peak between 9.30am and 11pm weekdays, weekends and bank holidays.
Nottingham City Council had been allowing additional use of these passes during peak times up until 2018, when it decided to scrap 24/7 free transport for people with concessionary passes amid budget cuts.
Therefore pass holders had to pay at peak times – between 11pm and 9.30am Monday to Friday.
But following a lengthy campaign which began in 2018, the council’s new leader, Cllr David Mellen, promised a review into the cuts.
And in 2020 the full use of concessionary passes for more than 2,500 users was reinstated.
The Government is now funding the scheme until 2025, and during an Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, February 21, the city council confirmed it will continue to go “above and beyond” and provide free 24/7 travel for pass holders.
The council will also continue providing a companion pass, giving free travel to a carer or companion for people with certain disabilities.
Passes can also be used on trams and the Medilink service.
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Des Conway, a concessionary pass holder says that he has met fellow pass holders who remain unaware they can travel before 9.30am.
He fears many other people may still not know, with confusion prompted by the cuts back in 2018.
He said: “I met a man who was waiting at my bus stop and thought he was unable to board before 9.30am. I had to tell him he could.
“The council never seemed to inform mobility pass holders they could use their passes earlier than 9.30am.
“I’m requesting that, over a two week period, they put that out there. They could put it on the electronic timetables and in an email.”
The cost of the scheme is budgeted to be £8.5m in 2023/24, now largely funded by the Government.
However, the additional cost to deliver free tram travel and carer travel is funded by the council and will cost in the region of £1.075m in this financial year.
During the Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, Cllr Audra Wynter (Lab), portfolio holder for transport, added: “There are lots of things in Nottingham we need to be proud of, our public transport system is one of them, as well as our trams.
“Under the travel concession arrangements for 2023/24 we are obligated to guarantee free off-peak travel on local buses for our elderly and disabled citizens in Nottingham between 9.30am and 11pm, weekdays, weekends and bank holidays.
“Nottingham actually goes above and beyond this, far more than other cities, by providing further discretionary elements.”
The council added people who are eligible are contacted directly and informed of the scheme through e-newsletters that are sent to some 70,000 recipients.
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