Transport campaign revs up at Tweed Wheels

Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale MSP Christine Grahame has given a cautious welcome to Age Scotland's Still Waiting campaign, which aims to adjust the existing Concessionary Travel Scheme (CTS) so that the bus pass can be used on community transport services across Scotland.

After a visit with Charity staff to Tweed Wheels in Peebles last week, Ms Grahame said: "A bus pass is only of value where a suitable bus service exists, and where it does not, people on low, fixed income and those with mobility issues or health problems, and sometimes all of these, can be left isolated and lonely."

Tweed Wheels is just one of hundreds of community transport operators filling a gap in the market by providing accessible transport for individuals, including those with serious mobility issues, community groups and organisations - but at a cost - as the bus pass currently cannot be used on services that have no scheduled routes or timetables.

Age Scotland spokesman Lindsay Scott said: "We would like to see all Demand Responsive Community Transport operations brought into the CTS and have the reimbursement rate for these operators set at 100% of the fare as opposed to the 67% set for commercial operators."

The SNP MSP does have concerns over paying for the adjustment, saying: "I can see the need for the current system to be changed to ensure it properly meets the needs of our ageing population, particularly those ill-served by commercial bus operators in remote rural communities such as in my constituency, but the additional costs involved will obviously run into millions.

"I will be exploring these additional costs and where the money might come from and have written to the Transport Minister to seek his views on the matter."

Lindsay Scott said: "Our initial estimates on the cost of including community transport operators in the scheme come in at around £11 million per year, and after discussions with older people across Scotland, we have encountered littler or no opposition to changing the age of eligibility for able-bodied older people from 60 to the State Pension age, which will soon be equalised at 67.

"That move in itself would go a long way to meeting the costs of this change, for which there is an acknowledged need."