The UK government has officially responded to an online petition gathering more than 20,000 signatures requesting that the bus pass for those on state pension is extended to offer free rail travel.
The petition has garnered one fifth of the 100,000 signatory level that is required to force a debate in Parliament. Support for it is significantly stronger in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK with more than 0.15% of constituents backing it in some areas.
It states: “Pensioners can become isolated and stuck at home after retirement, with many not being able to afford the high cost of train travel.
“A change to extend the older person’s pass for bus travel to cover train travel would allow for easier travel across the country, enabling long day trips and other travel, which we believe would greatly enhance their mental wellbeing, by making it easier for them to get out of the house and travel to meet others and visit other places.”
The government responds by saying, in part: “Local concessionary travel costs around £1 billion annually and any changes to the minimum statutory scheme, such as free travel on rail, would therefore need to be carefully considered for their impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.”
It says that “local authorities in England have the power to go beyond their statutory obligations, such as offering free travel on rail as part of the ENCTS pass” and that 11 out of the 84 concessionary authority areas already offer some form of rail discount in this way.
It adds: “UK taxpayers contributed £31 billion in 2020/21 and 2021/22 to the day-to-day costs of the railway, ensuring stability for staff and avoiding job losses during the pandemic.
“Even before the pandemic, the government was contributing over £4 billion per annum for day-to-day operations. It is important now to put rail finances on a sustainable footing in a way that is fair to passengers and taxpayers in the challenging economic climate we currently face.”
Any measures to encourage the use of rail over cars could be seen as a plus for the bus sector as it tries to recover the concessionary market following the pandemic-related dip. Stats reveal a 36% decrease in bus pass use since 2019, promptly the government to launch a campaign in July aimed at winning back those back older and disabled passengers.
