Lib Dem Concessionary Fares Motion (York Liberal Democrats)

York Liberal Democrats <info@yorklibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dem Concessionary Fares Motion

January 22, 2009 12:05 AM
By Cllr Ann Reid

This amendment does nothing but water down our motion.

We know that free bus travel is very popular and extremely well used - that is the whole problem.

We are told by the Government that there is enough money in the system but many of us doubt that. But taking that at face value means that, at the very least, the allocation of the resources that the Government has put in is flawed. If there really is enough money why have the LGA launched this campaign and why do we hear from Local Authorities up and down the country that they are out of pocket?

Free bus travel for over 60's is great and is appreciated by people going about their daily business. But was it really intended to be used by people visiting York by car who can now finish their journey by Park and Ride at our expense? Was it really intended to allow Cllr Orrell to use the bus from Preston station to Preston North End football ground for free? Was it really intended to be used by people to travel all the way from Berwick to Lands End for free - and that has really happened by people who can understand bus timetables. But they can't use it to go from Berwick in England to Eyemouth in Scotland.

The Labour amendment praises the amount of money that we have received in previous years but they know and we know how much the Government has given us. It's pointless reminding them. What the government needs to know is how much their scheme is costing us to run and how much it is costing the Council Taxpayers of York because the Government don't fund their scheme properly. We can "explain the unintended consequences" until we are blue in the face but that will not help unless we hammer home the cost to our residents.

I can understand why Labour might find it difficult of their own Government but Local Authority's of all political persuasions, including Labour, are joining this campaign as they can see the inherent unfairness of yet another Government initiative where we end up paying the bill.

I urge Council to reject this amendment as it adds nothing to the original motion - in fact it detracts from the central message.