Row over buses ‘roll of shame’
COUNCILLORS have disputed Lib Dem education spokesman John Pugh’s inclusion of Halton on his ‘roll of shame’ of areas that do not offer concessionary fares to young people.
Mr Pugh was discussing the Bus Services Bill date’ and said young when he slated the borpeople can access Merough along with Cheshseytravel’s £2 My Ticket ire West And Chester, all-day tickets for young Warrington, Linpeople aged five-18 travcolnshire, Nottingham, elling on any Halton or Peterborough, Bracknell Merseyside bus, anyForest, Oxfordshire, time, anywhere in the Portsmouth and Slough. LCR.
Halton’s two repreMerseytravel issued a sentatives for transport similar statement. on the Liverpool City Mr Pugh had laid into Region (LCR) Merthe national picture for seytravel committee, young people’s bus sercouncillors John Stockvices, which he said were ton and Harry Howard, ‘variable’ and ‘ worsening’.havedismissedhis
remarks as ‘a little out of He said 50,000 young IPSO ● ● people aged 16 to 18 years have had free transport axed since 2008, an estimated drop of 42%, adding that two thirds of local authorities no longer provide such a service for that age range and that a bus pass at that age costs between £230 and £1,000.
In a joint response, Cllrs Stockton and Howard said: “The £2 My Ticket is an all-day bus ticket for young people aged five to 18 allowing them to travel anytime, ● anywhere on any bus across Halton and Merseyside, which is one of the best offers for young people outside of London.
“Merseytravel worked with bus operators to introduce ‘My Ticket’ in response to the call for a more affordable, fair and consistent deal for young people, addressing issues including different operator ticket costs and restrictions to travelling times, and since its introduction in May 2014 patronage has increased by around 80%.
“Halton is currently overseen by its own transport body separate to Merseytravel.
“While there is an aspiration to extend new ticket products to Halton further discussions need to take place before we could do this.
“Hopefully this demonstrates that even in these times of swingeing Government cuts, we are still doing our best to support our young people.”
A Merseytravel spokeswoman said: “Merseytravel worked with bus operators to introduce My Ticket in response to the call for a more affordable, fair and consistent deal for young people, addressing issues including different operator ticket costs and restrictions to travel-