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Dept for Transport

Answer

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of providing free public transport (a) in each local transport authority area and (b) in England for (i) disabled people, (ii) all people aged over 60 years and (iii) all people under 19 in full-time education (A) in rural areas and (B) elsewhere. [217360] Charlotte Atkins: Local authorities in England currently spend around £500 million per year on concessionary fares schemes. It is estimated that an extension of current concessionary fares schemes to provide free local public transport for people over 60 and disabled people within their local authority area would cost an additional £200 million per year (approximately £18 million for disabled people and £182 million for the over 60s). This includes local bus journeys and, where the local authority chooses to fund wider concessions, journeys on trains, underground, light rail and ferries within the local areas. The additional cost would rise to around £250 million per year (£25 million for disabled people and £225 million for the over 60s) if all local journeys on the national rail system were included. An England-wide scheme allowing free travel for all older and disabled people on all bus journeys would cost around £260 million per year more than the current system (approximately £24 million for disabled people and £236 million for the over 60s). The additional cost would rise to £500 million per year if all national rail journeys were included (£50 million for disabled people and £450 million for the over 60s). Breakdown by cost for each local authority or for rural and other areas is not available. To provide free local bus travel for all under 19-year- olds would require additional funding of £520 million per year. Extending this to an England-wide scheme allowing free bus travel would cost around £580 million per year. Costs have not been estimated for free travel restricted to those in full-time education; however it is estimated that a free travel scheme applying to educational trips only would cost an additional £290 million per year. No estimates have been made to include journeys on all forms of public transport. Breakdown by area is not available.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c207-8W; 217360

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Disability Costs Concessions Pensioners Older people Public transport Travel Students

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk