Government proposals to transfer responsibility for the concessionary bus pass scheme from district to county councils have gone out to consultation.
Other options being considered include administering the concession at a regional level, or centralising administration completely, much like the Department for Transport’s administration of the bus service operators grant (BSOG).
But the Government favours the county council option, because of the potential to realise efficiencies, and ‘generate significant synergies’ through harmonising concessionary travel responsibilities with wider transport authority ones, for the first time. It would also facilitate the Government’s aspiration to increase the roll-out of smart ticketing across England.
The centralisation option ‘does not sit happily with the Government’s wider policy towards local government’ on devolving power to councils. Regarding the regional option, there is no obvious candidate authority to take responsibility.
The consultation also outlines options for changing the way discretionary travel concessions are administered. Again, the Government favours moving responsibility to upper tier authorities only, but this would not preclude discretionary concessions still being implemented at the district level.
Transport secretary Paul Clark said: ‘We’re confident there is enough money in the system, but we need to ensure that the right structures are in place to administer it.’ District and county councils have welcomed the proposals – first revealed by Surveyor last month (2 April) – with many of the former facing funding shortfalls of more than £1M. But the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers backs a national agency to take responsibility.
Communities and Local Government will consult separately on the funding implications of any proposed changes.
• Consultation on possible changes to the administration of concessionary travel : http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/concessionarytravel/
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