§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each local authority the cost of a bus pass for pensioners. [159349]
§ Mr. McNultyUnder the Transport Act 2000, all local authorities are required to issue a bus pass free of charge to older and disabled people entitling the holder to local bus travel within their district for at least half the single journey bus fare. However, local authorities are able to offer more generous schemes or alternative schemes to the statutory minimum if they wish. Many local authorities offer alternative travel schemes, which
Table: Local authorities that in 2001 charged a fee for an alternative concessionary travel scheme in addition to the statutory minimum half fares with a free pass
Name of authority Annual fee (2001) Alternative concession Basildon, Essex £100 Free travel in district Bracknell Forest UA £40 Free travel for those aged 75 or more. Braintree, Essex £110 Free travel in district Brendwood, Essex £54 Free travel in district Bridgnorth, Shrops £30 Free travel in whole county Colchester, Essex £159.45 Free travel, plus travel tokens Darlington UA £52 or £62 £52 for free travel in urban area, £62 for free travel in all UA Dartford, Kent £5 Fee to get flat fare of 20p within borough East Staffordshire £10 Free travel Eden, Cumbria £5 Free travel in district Harlow, Essex £33 Free travel in district Hertsmere, Herts £36 Free travel in district Ipswich, Suffolk £1 District scheme for 25p flat fare Maldon, Essex £150 Free travel Middles brough UA £10 Fee for fare reductions North Wiltshire £5 For reduced rate travel Preston, Lancashire £10 For free travel for those aged 70 or over Redcar and Cleveland UA £12 Fee for fare reductions Sevenoaks, Kent £20 Fee to get flat fare of 20p Shrewsbury and Atcham, Shrops. £115 For free travel in the borough, half fare in the county, also produces a £15 permit for reduced rate travel
Slough UA £30 Fee to get free travel in UA South Buckinghamshire £20 Permit gives free travel from age 70 St Albans, Herts £57 Free travel in district Stevenage, Herts £25 Free travel in district Stockton on Tees UA £5 Fee for fare reductions Suffolk Coastal £ 13.50 Fee for fare reductions Telford and The Wrekin UA £80 Free travel throughout UA, half faro in Shropshire and to some towns beyond
Three Rivers, Herts £25 Free travel in district Worcester City £8 Allows 25p flat fare or 40p return fare Wyre, Lanes £5 Reduced rate travel