Agenda item

Purpose of the Report:This report outlines the concessionary travel funding consultation process to date and gives an overview of the responses received so far.

Declarations of interest:

The Chairman declared a personal interest in that her husband holds a disability pass.

Witnesses:

Paul Millin, Strategic Transport Group Manager

Jason Russell, Executive Director for Highways, Transport and Environment

Mike Goodman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. A Member of the Committee stated that removing free concessionary travel for disabled pass holders before 09.30 and after 23.00 Monday to Friday would impact on those disabled people who needed to travel to and from work. Those disabled people receiving the minimum wage would also be impacted by the removal of this concessionary fare. The Chairman explained that Central Governments statutory scheme requires that qualifying older and disabled people be allowed to travel for free on buses after 09:30 and before 23:00 Monday to Friday, plus all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. It was added that the costs of providing the additional travel concession on bus services outside the statutory hours have been subsidised by Surrey tax payers for many years.
2. The Strategic Transport Group Manager explained that as of 4 December 2018, just over 1,500 responses had been received for the consultation. Key themes emerging from the consultation are included in Annex 1 of the agenda report. Discussions would be taking place with a number of advocacy groups that represent the views of disabled people to understand the implications of the potential removal of the two additional concessions and possible mitigation measures.
3. There was a short discussion around the impacts of removing the additional concessionary fare offer on the state benefit system. It was queried if officers had information on the number of Surrey disabled bus pass holders who received state travel benefits. Officers explained that this was not information they had access to nor collected. 
4. The Committee agreed that if there was a removal of free concessionary bus travel for disabled people then more would need to be done to ensure those affected were made aware of the state benefits and support in place for them. The Strategic Transport Group Manager explained that officers had engaged and publicised the concessionary bus travel public consultation through a number of different formats including producing hard copy brochures, large print and easy read documents and offering residents a text service. 
5. A Member commented that removing free concessionary bus travel before 09.30 and companion passes would not support the council’s sustainable travel agenda and would also impact on elderly people who rely on companions to travel with. There was a concern that many elderly residents would be left house bound because of this. In terms of the estimated annual saving to be achieved from this removal, some Members were of the view that this saving should be sought elsewhere in the Council. The Executive Director explained that work was being undertaken by the service to review areas of statutory and non-statutory spend as a means of addressing the current budget situation. It was added that the areas of statutory and non-statutory spend for the service could be shared with the Committee. 
6. With the current budget pressures facing the council, some Members were of the view that removing free concessionary travel for disabled bus pass holders and removing companion passes would help the council achieve savings. It was added that many other local authorities only offered the statutory travel offer required by Government.
7. A Member of the Committee queried if officers had details on which disabilities those people using the disabled bus pass had and accompanying salary information. The Member was of the opinion that more detail should be included within the attached Equality Impact Assessment. The Strategic Transport Group Manager explained that Annex 4 of the agenda report listed the categories of disability that were eligible for a disabled persons concessionary bus pass and would check if it was possible to get a breakdown for each category. It was further added that the financial information on pass holders was not collected.
8. Some Members of the Committee agreed that Central Government should cover the costs for free concessionary travel for disabled bus pass holders before 09.30 and after 23.00 Monday to Friday. A Member of the Committee commented that it would be difficult for Central Government to justify covering the costs for a discretionary service which fell outside its statutory responsibility. It was agreed for the Cabinet Member to raise the issue of travel funding for disabled pass holders with the Minister of State for Transport.
9. It was confirmed that the Concessionary Travel Funding Consultation Member Reference Group would meet on 14 January 2019 to review the results of the public consultation and would also in the future, review the work being undertaken with district and boroughs around concessionary travel arrangements.

Resolved:

1. The comments and concerns of the Committee were noted.
2. That details of the areas of statutory and non-statutory spend within the Environment and Infrastructure directorate is shared with the Committee.