Even More Bus News
Yes, there is even more bus news after the story of the new bus shelter. Essex County Council (ECC) has recently advised us of a consultation on the use of Concessionary Passes on ECC run Park & Ride.
The Consultation
ECC are consulting on two charge related changes:
- Reducing the charge for people using the disability-based bus pass before 9 am on Park and Ride service. Currently, holders of the disability-based bus pass must pay the full fare before 9 am, ECC is proposing to cut this to £1.50p and after 9.00 for the fare to continue to be free.
- Currently, all older person’s bus pass holders travel for free after 9 am. ECC is consulting on charging older person’s bus pass holders a £1.50 day fare at all times on all Park and Ride services in Essex.
The consultation will run until 31 July 2019, it will be available:
- online at: www.essex.gov.uk/park-and-ride-fares-consultation
- Paper copies of the questionnaire will be available from the Sandon, Chelmer Valley and Colchester Park and Ride sites.
Posters will be displayed at the Park & Ride sites.
If you have any queries, please contact [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Why Change?
ECC provides an explanation on the consultation page. In simple terms:
- the Revenue Support Grant will be fully phased out by the end of 2020; this results in a £46m reduction in income in 2019/20;
- all income thereafter must come from council tax, rates, grants, fees & charges;
- ECC’s aim is to keep council tax as low as possible and so must look elsewhere for income;
- they also note that demographic changes, particularly an ageing population, contribute to financial pressures.