Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie has tackled the Transport Minister on the issue of support for Community Transport schemes such as Forth Valley’s Dial-a-Journey.

Opening the Scottish Parliament Questions, Cathy asked whether the Scottish Government would “extend the national concessionary travel scheme to include demand-responsive community transport schemes such as Dial-a-Journey in Forth Valley, which is used by older and disabled people who are eligible for the scheme but cannot use scheduled services”

In his reply, the Minister said that “the scheme has been the subject of a review since last July. The review is now complete and the resulting report and recommendations will be published this month.”

Cathy then asked “why are private bus operators trusted to operate concessionary transport schemes when community transport organisations are not? A number of disabled and older people throughout the country cannot access travel schemes. Will the minister please look again at the discrimination that those people face daily?”

The Minister, Stewart Stevenson. accepted that this was “a perfectly fair point about the need to provide access to affordable public transport for people with a range of disabilities that prevent their having ready access to standard service buses. We provide substantial support for a wide range of demand-responsive transport, which comes in many shapes and sizes. Some forms fall within the present scheme, whereas others are outside it. We have commissioned additional work on the demands of the transport sector to which Cathy Peattie refers. That work will be available to us later.”

Speaking later, Cathy said: “I have raised this issue several times, through questions, motions and in committee. It is important to maintain pressure on the Scottish Government. Let’s hope that the report takes a positive and constructive approach to support for such services. They really should be included in the national concessionary travel scheme.”

See also: http://cathypeattie.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/fare-deal-for-community-transport/

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie has called for everyone who needs a companion in order to travel to be given the same concessions, whatever public transport they use.

Cathy said: “The Scottish Blind Persons’ Travel Card is an excellent scheme. It gives free travel on all bus, coach, rail and ferry services, not only to the blind person, but also, if they can only use public transport with assistance, to a companion.

“Unfortunately, other people who need to be accompanied can only take a companion when they travel by bus. I believe that they should also be able to apply for a travel card that permits them to travel with a companion on other public transport, not just buses.

“Journeys that are relatively quick and straightforward by train can become impossible if they depend on being accompanied by bus, with long journey times and poor connections.

“I don’t see any good argument against it, since the principle and the operation is already established – we would just be getting rid of an anomaly in the concessionary travel that is currently provided, and it would make a big difference to those who would benefit.”

See  S3M-03815 Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Scottish Labour): Extension of Concessionary Accompanied Travel

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie is calling for support for a Bill to regulate Bus Services.

Cathy said: “I have dealt with numerous complaints about bus services. We have had some successes, but I am convinced that there would be fewer problems and that they would be dealt with more easily if the buses were properly regulated, and I have called for this in the past.

“I have also called for free bus travel to include all people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, and for free travel to cover users of buses run by community transport organisations,

“So I welcome and support the Bill which is being proposed by my colleague, Charlie Gordon MSP.

“Buses in the UK have been privatised and largely unregulated since 1986. Companies naturally look to maximise their profits, but this can affect standards and leave gaps in local bus services. Bus timetables and fares are a common concern, as are vehicle standards and accessibility.

“Local councils have some powers to support and negotiate socially desirable bus services, and these powers were strengthened by a Transport Act passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2001. However, they have never been used and a Parliament Committee in 2005 concluded that the procedures required to use the new powers were too bureaucratic and expensive.

“The Bill would simplify and strengthen local council’s powers to step in and organise adequate bus services in communities where the local bus market has failed, but Charlie’s Bill can only proceed if the Scottish Parliament receives evidence from members of the public supporting its proposed measures, so I urge people to make their views known on the Bill.”

People can submit their comments by email to charlie.gordon.msp@scottish.parliament.uk or in writing to Charlie Gordon MSP, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP no later than Friday 27 February 2009. The public consultation on the Bill is available on line at www.charliegordonmsp.com, or by emailing the above address, or by telephoning 0141-632-8645.

Transportation is expensive, with bus and train fares climbing steadily, but polytechnic students are still paying adult prices up to 89 percent more than what their pre-university counterparts pay.

Three years ago, a Ngee Ann student created an online petition calling for a fare reduction. More than 27,500 signatures have been collected since, but nothing has changed.

In 1977, students from Singapore Polytechnic and the then Ngee Ann Technical College petitioned Singapore Bus Services (SBS) to charge pre-university and polytechnic students the same fares.

SBS answered: “If we grant the concession to Poly and Ngee Ann students, we might have to extend this to the universities. This will mean a loss of $3 million to $4 million a year. Straightaway, we would run in the red.”

Last year, SBS Transit and SMRT Corporation posted a combined profit of more than $200 million. Can they still justify the price difference?

Concessionary fares should be standardised for all pre-university and tertiary students.

Written for npTribune.

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie is calling for the national concessionary travel scheme to be extended to include community transport schemes such as Forth Valley’s Dial-a-Journey.

“Scheduled bus services don’t always meet the needs of older and disabled people, and so they can find it difficult to take advantage of the current scheme,” said Cathy.

“More accessible and flexible services such as Dial-a-Journey address that need, but are not covered by the scheme. I think we should use the travel scheme to support voluntary organisations who are meeting the need for transport in areas without bus services and services for people who are unable to use public transport – collectively known as demand responsive transport.
“Over two million journeys are made each year in Scotland using demand responsive community transport schemes. Many of the people making those journeys have or are eligible for a free bus card but are unable to make use of it. Is it fair that although eligible for free travel, they are effectively excluded from the free bus scheme?

“They would not have to pay if they could use regular buses, but as it is, travel costs for accessible transport mean that they are unlikely to travel unless absolutely necessary.”

The scheme is currently under review by the Scottish Government, and a group of organisations are campaigning for the extension of the scheme – Capability Scotland; Community Transport Association Scotland; Help the Aged in Scotland; Age Concern Scotland; WRVS; RNID Scotland; RNIB Scotland; Inclusion Scotland; Glasgow Disability Alliance; Guide Dogs for the Blind Association; Leonard Cheshire Disability; and the Scottish Disability Equality Forum.

Cathy has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament in support of the campaign:

S3M-02653# Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Scottish Labour): Fare Deal - That the Parliament congratulates the 12 charities which, on UK Older People’s Day, 1 October 2008, launched a Fare Deal campaign for the concessionary travel scheme to be extended to cover special transport schemes used by elderly and disabled people, such as Dial-a-Journey in Forth Valley; considers that thousands of people who have or are entitled to a free bus pass are missing out because they cannot use regular scheduled services, and believes that an extension to the national concessionary travel scheme to include demand-responsive community transport should be considered.
Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Bill Butler, Patrick Harvie, Marlyn Glen, Paul Martin, Mary Mulligan, Robin Harper, John Park, Dr Elaine Murray, Charlie Gordon, Hugh O’Donnell, Sandra White, Jackie Baillie, Des McNulty, Dr Richard Simpson, Alex Neil, Karen Whitefield, Trish Godman, Ken Macintosh, Cathy Jamieson, Helen Eadie, Mr Frank McAveety, Rt Hon Jack McConnell, Marilyn Livingstone, Hugh Henry, Rt Hon George Foulkes

Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie has welcomed the news that Scotland’s pensioners will continue to enjoy free bus travel.

SNP Ministers confirmed last month they were cutting the budget in real terms for concessionary fares by £10 million over the next three years in answer to a Parliamentary Question.

Cathy spoke on the issue in parliament, calling for the scheme to be protected and extended.

“This is an important victory for the campaign to stop Alex Salmond shoving our grannies off the bus,” she said.

“Alex Salmond had refused to guarantee that charges would not be introduced, or that the scheme would remain free at all times, and throughout Scotland. The SNP has been under pressure to come clean on their review of concessionary travel. After weeks of dodging the issue the Scottish Government has finally caved in.

“They are however still slashing £10 million from the budget in real terms, and we will be scrutinising the review for other hidden cuts.”

Labour Spokesperson Des McNulty said: “Alex Salmond has done more twists and turns on this issue than a bendy bus. But if this is his final u-turn then it is the first victory of Labour’s by-election campaign in Glasgow East.”

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Cathy Peattie has highlighted the shortcomings of public transport in the Falkirk area, and called for action to tackle the problems, including bus regulation.

“Public transport is one of the most persistent and widespread sources of dissatisfaction among my constituents,” she said.

“I wish that First ScotRail would give my constituents a better deal. Fares from Falkirk and Polmont to Edinburgh and Glasgow are more per mile than most. A passenger station in Grangemouth would also be exceedingly welcome.

“Rail might be expensive and serve too few places, but bus travel is undoubtedly the biggest bugbear. If we are serious about tackling climate change and encouraging people to use public transport, we need better buses, more routes and timetables that meet the public’s needs.

“It is too easy to say that there is no demand when the lack of services has forced travellers to use private transport. It is too easy to say that people would rather use their cars and that buses are uncomfortable, inaccessible and expensive. It is also too easy to say that services are not viable when, if the truth be known, they arrive late, leave early and miss connections, if they appear at all.

“People need reliable and affordable public transport that is a pleasure to use, not a nightmare. Without it, we will not achieve our targets for modal shift and climate change.

“To be fair, some bus companies realise their shortcomings and the better among them attempt to take on board passengers’ views, but the bottom line is always profits, not people.

“Competition between bus companies is often imperfect, if it exists at all. In such circumstances, we cannot expect companies to provide adequate self-regulation and to achieve proper integration of public transport. We need Scotland-wide regulation. We also need to address the Scottish Government’s policies, which have left Scotland’s bus operators with higher costs than those in other parts of the United Kingdom and have led to massive fare increases for bus passengers throughout Scotland.

“We have seen a secret deal to extend the rail franchise and higher-than-inflation increases in rail fares. There has also been outrage among users of ferry services on the Clyde, in the northern isles and on most routes in Argyll because of discrimination in ferry fares between islands.

“In particular, we should strive for better provision for older and disabled travellers, and young families with prams and small children. Bus timetables should include information about low-loader and accessible buses. I still hear stories about disabled people waiting an hour or more for an accessible bus. That is not good enough.

“Free bus passes have been very well received by the people of Scotland. I have yet to hear a good reason for not extending concessionary travel to those who are on the lower rate of the disability allowance. We must also address the need for a concessionary travel scheme for those who depend on community transport, and I welcome what the minister said about that. It is time to stop dithering and to regain the momentum to improve public transport in Scotland.”