Even More Bus News – Consultation

Bus news about consultation on Bus passes at Park & RideEven 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:

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.
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