Scottish government to review free bus travel scheme

The Scottish Government is to review a concessionary scheme which gives pensioners and disabled passengers free bus travel across Scotland.

Bus operators have been told that fare reimbursement is to be capped.

Neil Renilson, chief executive of Transport Edinburgh, the company which runs Lothian buses, predicted there may be restrictions ahead because the scheme had proven too popular in the past.

However Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said funding for the scheme was being increased, despite the review.

Labour's environment spokesman, Des McNulty, told BBC Radio Scotland that the situation had arisen because the Scottish Government had not put enough money into the scheme.

What is obvious despite the Scottish government willingness to negotiate with bus companies to keep costs down the latter are a commercial private operation and unless something is worked out the danger is that cuts could well be made in the future to the number eligible that would qualify for concessionary travel.

The scheme benefits pensioners and disabled people but I would rather see this extended to cover other groups such as those on low incomes such as the unemployed on Job Seekers Allowance.

I am old enough to remember the regional council buses operated concessionary schemes for all unemployed but in the days when all services are privatised including public transport I accept realistically to create a viable transport system to benefit all and those on low incomes we need a socialist government.

So next time at elections forget the SNP who juggle figures with their social democracy policies to try for the impossibility of a fairer system under capitalism but rather best vote for a socialist party such as Solidarity and viable publicly funded real public transport system.

LM