Council may end travel cards subsidy
SUBSIDISED rail cards for the over-60s in Waveney could be scrapped by the local council.Waveney District Council has been a member of a concessionary travel scheme for several years, which is run by Breckland District Council and allows the council to offer subsidised rail travel cards to customers over the age of �60.
SUBSIDISED rail cards for the over-60s in Waveney could be scrapped by the local council.
Waveney District Council has been a member of a concessionary travel scheme for several years, which is run by Breckland District Council and allows the council to offer subsidised rail travel cards to customers over the age of �60.
Until February this year, Waveney council issued about 1,000 cards a year at a cost of �20.50, a reduction from the �24 cost for cards bought directly from the railway station. The cards allow travellers to get up to a one third reduction off the cost of train tickets.
When the supply of cards ran out earlier this year, the council reassessed the scheme and found that it was not able to increase the price of the rail card to cover some of the time and cost which is taken up with administration to process the cards.
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It also found that Yarmouth and Ipswich Borough Councils had already opted out of the programme.
Now Waveney District Council may stop providing subsidised rail cards, meaning that customers will have to buy them for the full price directly form the railway station.
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The council is also considering bringing in a �7.50 charge for replacing concessionary bus passes, except when there is proof that the card has been stolen.
The proposals to cease the rail card scheme and to introduce replacement charges for bus passes have been considered by the council's overview and scrutiny committee and a final decision is expected to be made by the cabinet next Thursday.
