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   Notice from the Green Party - Important news on the concessionary fares scheme
The following notice has been received by SalfordOnline from Mr Joseph O’Neill of The Green Party
Early today we received the letter below from the Managing Director of National Express, Coaches It concerns information relevant to travel with them for People over the age of sixty and people with Disabilities. The letter is self explanatory As somebody who has used the Government's half price coach ticket scheme, we want to give you some important information. The scheme currently provides up to half price travel for over 60 year olds and disabled people through Government funding. The Government has announced that this funding will end on 31 October 2011 as part of its spending cuts programme. While we are looking to introduce a replacement scheme, without the government funding it is not possible to make discounts as high and the cost of travel will increase for you. We have written to the Government to ask that they reconsider this decision. We have also written to a number of MPs to raise our concerns. Many MPs have told us they agree and have written to ministers at the Department for Transport to ask them whether they have considered the potential impact on eligible passengers' ability to travel. From your letters and emails, we know that many of you rely on the half price fares. Some have also expressed concern that without it, they may not be able to travel. If you share these concerns, perhaps you could write to, or email, you’re local MP to encourage them to raise your concern with the Department for Transport. Yours Sincerely, Andrew Cleaves We are concerned that once again we are seeing the least able suffer, people who depend on this type of service to leave their homes and visit will be bound by the inability to fund their journeys and a service that offers clean alternatives will be forced to reduce drastically its capacity. We urge a rethink on this short term ill thought out plan. Signed Joseph O’Neill Press Spokesman Reginald Howard Party Chairman Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
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