In a motion submitted to nextmonth’s borough council meeting I am calling for the county council to continue to provide all the discretionary elements of the borough’s current concessionary fare scheme (Farepass). The motion has cross party support and is seconded by Andover Harroway councillor Jan Lovell.
Changes introduced by the outgoing Labour government mean that from April next year concessionary fares will be the responsibility of Hampshire County Council who may not fund all the services such as all day travel, companion passes and travel vouchers currently provided by Test Valley. The county council has recently carried out a public consultation asking borough councils and other interested parties to prioritise which additional discretionary services they would like continued. If services are rationalised across the county many of the existing Test Valley provisions may be cut.
Test Valley’s official response is to prioritise (1) use of Farepass on dial-a-ride schemes, (2) companion passes for those unable to travel independently and (3) travel vouchers for those unable to access buses. My motion argues the existing provisions are well researched and necessary to meet the needs of local residents and that the county council should continue to provide all of them. Access to buses is vital to many of elderly and disabled residents. The current scheme is the result of detailed work to get the best possible deal for residents. It is justified and appropriate to meet local needs and should not be sacrificed to meet short term cost savings in Winchester.
The motion also calls for Test Valley to continue to support and promote community car schemes to supplement public transport across the borough. Community groups have an important role in providing transport. This is quite separate from the government funded Farepass scheme and it’s essential that Test Valley continues to support these schemes.
The full text of the motion can be found at