northlincs.gov.uk

168  (45) CONCESSIONARY FARE REIMBURSEMENT 2015/16 – PUBLICATION OF FINAL SCHEME – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for the publication of the final Concessionary Fare Reimbursement scheme for 2015/16.

The council must provide free travel on local buses for older people and people with disabilities.  Bus operators must also be reimbursed for concessionary travel in accordance with legal requirements.  The draft scheme was published in February 2015.

Since the draft scheme was published operators had outlined their proposed average cost increases.  Taking the adjustment into account adequate budget provision existed within council budgets to meet reimbursement payments to operators in 2015/16.  As a result the final scheme for 2015/16 could now be published.

Passenger transport supported the movement and interaction for many individuals within communities as well as providing them with access to other services.  Inadequate transport conversely could be a barrier to accessing vital services and as such it was important that the public should not be priced out of using bus services because of cost.

The concessionary fares reimbursement with North Lincolnshire allowed for the elderly and disabled if they qualified to access passenger transport free of charge.

Publishing the final scheme was an important part of providing operators with an assurance over income stream in relation to the services they ran.  It also provided assurance to the pass holding public that the council actively supported free passenger transport in North Lincolnshire

Resolved – That the publication of the final scheme for concessionary fare reimbursement for 2015/16 be approved.