Concessionary Travel Schemes (Scotland) (Hansard, 19 May 1998)

§ Mr. Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale)

I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to require Scottish local authorities to make reciprocal arrangements for the operation of bus and rail concessionary travel schemes for visually impaired and blind people within their areas; and for connected purposes. Because of local government reorganisation under the previous Administration, there are 32 separate travel schemes for blind people in Scotland. Most of those independent schemes offer free or concessionary schemes to registered blind residents. However, the anomaly lies in the fact that the schemes are not co-ordinated or interchangeable across local authority boundaries.

To put it simply, blind or visually impaired people can travel at a concessionary rate within their own local authority areas, but when they travel outside those boundaries, there is no guarantee that they will receive their customary benefits. The only substantial impediment to geographical equality is that there is no statutory requirement on local authorities to provide schemes similar to those enjoyed by their own residents for non-residents who visit their areas.

My Bill would require Scottish local authorities to establish reciprocal agreements to extend their schemes to blind and visually impaired people who visit their areas. That would create equality and consistency across Scotland for all registered blind and visually impaired citizens. The scheme would extend to all bus and rail transport in Scotland.

For many years, the National Federation of the Blind has highlighted the need for a co-ordinated scheme, and it recently met the Scottish Office and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to press for action. Despite broadly favourable responses from both, there has been no concerted effort to implement the principles of such a scheme. My Bill offers the opportunity to establish a fair and workable scheme that will end a glaring omission from the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which required local authorities to plan only for their own blind residents. The Bill should not impose any significant additional financial burden on local authorities, and it would be jointly administered by the Scottish Office and COSLA.

There are more than 30,000 registered blind people in Scotland, of whom 9,000 are partially sighted. More than 85 per cent. of those people are over the age of 60, and many are unable to travel unattended, so it is important for them that their companion can travel with them. Therefore, I propose that the basic provisions of the Bill should be extended to include a companion card scheme, which is currently operated in 23 local authority areas, to assist the stress-free movement of the blind and visually impaired throughout Scotland.

To put the proposal in a broader context, there are many worthwhile examples of similar schemes throughout Europe. The best example of workable schemes lies across the Irish sea. Both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland operate free concessionary travel schemes throughout the country to all registered blind and visually impaired people. Those schemes have been in 742 operation for several years without significant problems, and have been warmly welcomed by blind and visually impaired residents of those countries.

Concessionary travel schemes are available throughout the public transport network to registered blind people in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In addition, free companion travel schemes are available to blind people who purchase a ticket for travel in Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. International travel has been made significantly easier through the Voyager Plus programme, whereby a blind person purchasing a first or second-class ticket for travel to more than 20 European countries is automatically entitled to a free companion ticket. If we can learn from our European partners, we, too, can have a national scheme of which to be proud.

I recognise Scotland's long tradition of concessionary travel, dating back to 1922 in Edinburgh and following on to other cities. I also recognise the contribution made by all parties to the development of such schemes in their local council areas. The points that I am making are clearly not party political, as is demonstrated by the cross-party support for a number of early-day motions on the issue and the cross-party sponsorship of the Bill.

As we contemplate the new millennium, I see such a national scheme as a timely reminder of the importance of our community values and as an encouragement to use and enhance our public transport network. It is certainly an area where the Scottish Parliament can move forward, if this House fails to respond to the needs of blind and visually impaired people across Scotland. The proposal could lead the way for the adoption of similar schemes in the other nations of the United Kingdom, as is demonstrated by the support of English and Welsh Members for my Bill.

It is encouraging that COSLA and the Scottish Office have expressed their support for such a scheme, but unfortunately little progress has thus far been achieved. Clearly, the Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution, Scottish Office supports the principles of my Bill, as he has stated: This Government is very much committed to partnership and we want transport operators to help us address social exclusion from transport services which still affects many blind people. I am calling on them to introduce a free concessionary travel scheme which will go some way to helping blind people enjoy a better quality of life. However, words are not enough. The Bill offers a route for action.

I understand that the Scottish Office is to publish the Integrated Transport White Paper in the summer. This will be the most significant single event in postwar Scottish Transport. I hope that the Scottish Office will seriously consider integrating the principles of my Bill in order to engender consistency and equality across Scotland. It is a small but important step towards making travel for the blind and visually impaired more accessible and less stressful. I am encouraged by the cross-party support for this important measure.

Question put and agreed to.

743 Bill ordered to be brought in by Mr. Alasdair Morgan, Mrs. Margaret Ewing, Mr. Donald Gorrie, Mr. Peter Bottomley, Mr. Dafydd Wigley, Mr. John McAllion, Mr. John Swinney and Mr. Michael Moore.