§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Transport, in view of the variety of legislation that currently governs the provision of concessionary fares on public transport, if he will introduce legislation to establish a national concessionary fares scheme.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe individual pieces of legislation concerned empower local authorities, where they consider it appropriate, to subsidise travel by specific categories of people. It is scarcely logical to argue that this therefore justifies creating a new universal statutory obligation.
§ Mr. Dicksasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans for ensuring the continuation of a scheme for concessionary fares for elderly and disabled people in Greater London.
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§ Mr. RidleyAs we made clear in our White Paper "Public Transport in London" (Cmnd. 9004) published in July 1983, the Government have always recognised the concern of London's pensioners that a joint scheme for concessionary travel should be available to them. The London Boroughs Association has agreed the principle of such a joint scheme and discussions on the detailed arrangements are progressing.
We propose to safeguard this agreement by providing in the London Regional Transport Bill for the continuation of a uniform scheme should any of the London local authorities refuse to participate. London Regional Transport would offer free off-peak travel to London's pensioners and disabled people and free travel at all times for the blind. The cost would be recouped from the London authorities who would issue the necessary permits. Any charge that those authorities might wish to make for issuing permits would require my consent.