COUNCIL TO KEEP CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Residents with a national concessionary bus pass can continue to travel for free on early morning buses following successful negotiations between Bedford Borough Council and bus operators.
With a requirement for £36 million of savings of four years in order to deliver a balanced Council budget, the Council's Modernisation Programme had proposed changes which would have meant travel passes would not have been valid for bus journeys before 9.30am, bringing the arrangements into line with the national scheme.
Following negotiations with commercial bus operators the Council has now agreed a new long term deal which achieves savings for local taxpayers while retaining the local extension to the concessionary travel scheme which enables use of the pass before 9.30am for journeys within the borough.
There are currently just over 26,000 residents in Bedford Borough who hold a concessionary travel pass. The passes are issued to residents who are of eligible state pension age or have a qualifying disability.
Mayor of Bedford Borough, Dave Hodgson, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we are able to maintain the Council's local top-up of the national concessionary pass scheme and can continue to enable pass holders in Bedford Borough to use peak time buses. The deal represents a fantastic result for both the older and vulnerable residents in the Borough who benefit from the extended scheme and for local taxpayers.
"We are committed to supporting public transport in the borough. This is why we are bucking the trend and continuing to support a strong network of rural bus routes at a time when other authorities are cutting back, and have introduced new Sunday and late-evening services in Bedford and Kempston."
An Executive Decision on the concessionary travel passes has been approved and subject to call in, will come into effect on the 7th March 2012.