Call for 抑制（する）s to over-60s 'blank cheque' bus travel as £30m 不足（高） is 明らかにする／漏らすd

By Beth Hale for the Daily Mail
Updated:

free OAP bus travel

A pensioner in Blackpool during a 2006 （選挙などの）運動をする for 解放する／自由な OAP bus travel

Pensioners should not be given 'a blank cheque' for 解放する／自由な bus travel, a 主要な 輸送（する） 操作者 警告するd last night.

Keith Ludeman, 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある of the Go-Ahead Group which runs more than 3,400 buses across the country, said changes needed to be made to the 計画／陰謀 which had become a 犠牲者 of its own success.

His 警告 comes いっそう少なく than a month after 会議 長，指導者s 警告するd that a £30 million 不足（高） in 基金ing for 解放する／自由な bus passes was putting 職業s and services at 危険.

解放する／自由な travel on all 地元の buses and coaches for all over-60s was 開始する，打ち上げるd by the 政府 last year to a rapturous welcome.

地元の 当局 始める，決める the reimbursement 率s paid to bus 操作者s for the 解放する／自由な 旅行s and some companies have complained they receive いっそう少なく than half the fare 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d to 支払う／賃金ing 乗客s.

Now Mr Ludeman, whose services operate in London, Oxford, Brighton and the north-east, has said that 大勝するs popular with the 年輩の may have to be 削減（する） if changes are not made.

'It ends up with the perverse result that you 減ずる mileage on some 大勝するs,' he told The 観察者／傍聴者.

'The 政府 has 明言する／公表するd that the pass must become a smart card (類似の to London's Oyster card). Like any card, it can be 限られた／立憲的な with a 確かな 量 of value and that seems a reasonable move.

'Pensioners cannot be given a blank cheque.'

The 計画／陰謀, which costs £1 billion a year, has 証明するd hugely popular.

Keith Ludeman

Keith Ludeman of Go-Ahead says the 計画／陰謀 is 'a 犠牲者 of its own success'

About 11 million people use the 解放する／自由な passes to travel anywhere on 地元の bus services in England.

But both bus 操作者s an 地元の 当局 have complained the 計画／陰謀 is inadequately 基金d.

The way the 政府 cash is 配分するd means that some 会議s, 特に those in popular tourist areas, are receiving いっそう少なく than they are 支払う／賃金ing to bus 会社／堅いs.

条件s for using the bus passes were 強化するd last? month to 除外する 大勝するs where more than half the seats can be 調書をとる／予約するd - such as long-distance coaches - and buses 'ーするつもりであるd まず第一に／本来 for 観光旅行，事業'.

Any その上の 削減（する）s would be a blow to pensioners, 特に those struggling to make ends 会合，会う.

David Sinclair, 長，率いる of 政策 at Age 関心 and Help the 老年の, said the 計画／陰謀 had an important 役割 to play in 戦闘ing 孤立／分離 の中で the 年輩の.

He said: 'One in eight old people would 述べる themselves as 孤立するd and lonely and 輸送（する） is 重要な to assuaging that. 限界ing the card could 土台を崩す the 進歩 that we have made.'

A Department for 輸送（する） spokeswoman said: 'The 政府 is proud of its concessionary travel 政策. A 最近の 調査する 示唆するs around 95 per cent of people support the England-wide 譲歩 and we have no 計画（する）s to 限界 it.'

Most watched News ビデオs

{"status":"error","code":"499","payload":"資産 id not 設立する: readcomments comments with assetId=1173683, assetTypeId=1"}