§ Dr. Lynne JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authority areas by political control which operate concessionary travel schemes for pensioners.
536W
§ Mr. FreemanAccording to a survey of local authorities done by the Department of Transport in 1992, there were concessionary fare schemes for pensioners in 96 per cent. of districts in Great Britain, some operated by district councils and some by county councils or passenger transport executives. In London the scheme is funded by the boroughs.
It is therefore less cumbersome to list the small number of local authorities that had no schemes for pensioners. These were: Caradon, Carrick, Eden, Hambleton, Kennet, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Orkney Islands, Penwith, Rhuddlan, Salisbury, Scarborough, South Holland, Stratford-on-Avon, West Somerset, Woodspring.
Of the 16 authorities listed, most of those in England and Wales not covered by a scheme were rural areas served by little public transport. Some of those authorities do support voluntary organisations which provide community transport or social car schemes. In Scotland, Orkney Island Council does not provide a formal concessionary fare scheme, but a subsidy is provided for inter-island air and sea travel.