T18

Legislation Committee No.3

Response to the Consultation on the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Transport) Order 2010

Mr C Croft MBE, Individual Response

Concessionary travel in Wales

Although not a nominated spokeperson for the task, I make these comments after discussion on the subject, with a number of members of several Older Person and Disabled person organisations of which I am a member.

I am an 86 year old disabled person who is unable to make use of the Concessions because the local bus operating company has failed to introduce disabled person`s easy access low floor bus Service in the area.

Time allotted for consultation did not allow for the fact that the organisations meet bi-monthly and meetings did not fall within the allotted consultation time.

Our People are generally opposed to any major change in the way that the Concessionary travel system operates. A few people suggested that some form of means testing could be introduced, but it is the people who would not expect to be affected by means testing make this suggestion..

I am opposed to limiting journeys to within a Welsh travel authority e.g. SWWITCH area as this would create hardship for those who have to travel to Hospital Appointments or visit family patients in hospitals outside their authority area; this is becoming more prevalent with LHB`s centralizing specialist services in District Hospitals.

There may also be problems for people who have to cross into the neighbouring Travel authority for their main shopping.

I am opposed to Imposing times during which the concession applies by limiting travel to off-peak; because many disabled and elderly people have an hour or more travelling time to reach hospitals and the new Centralized Health Resource Centres. They will have to travel in the morning peak to attend pre 10.30 am appointments and need to travel home during the afternoon peak if attending post 3.0pm appointments.

This also applies to Bus pass holders visiting family Hospital patients.   e.g.

I spent three months early in year 2009 as a patient at Bridgend Hospital; this involved my wife having a 50 mile round trip to visit me.

If it is decided to limit the class of service to which the mandatory concession applies e.g. not permit Coach Travel; arrangements should be made for travel concessions by whatever means, road or rail, available, to be provided for patients and their carers with appointments in hospitals outside their Travel authority area.

The travel concession allowed for a Personal Assistant to travel with a disabled person should not be removed, as many of us are unable to travel to some places without some type of assistance. The passes should however permit Disabled people to travel without a Personal Assistant where he or she is confident on their own. (We have received reports recently of Bus drivers refusing to allow Blind or Visually Impaired people to travel unaccompanied.)

Travel concessions as applied by the Welsh Assembly Government is Disability Discrimination against those who cannot use Public Transport.

Concessionary Travel should apply to those of us who are unable to access public transport. Disabled people should have free parking in Public Carparks, i.e. Town centre parks, multi-storey, Hospitals.

Cliff Croft
11-01-10