howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 November 2010
20:4081959we all know that people over the age of 60 and those with certain disabilities get free unlimited bus travel.
others who are unable to use the bus are entitled to limited taxi vouchers/tokens.
i believe it is about the equivalent of 30 quid a year, today i was shown a letter from our district council telling a local disabled resident that this facility will end in march next year. instead she will receive a free pass for buses that she cannot use.
i thought that the most vulnerable would not be affected by the cuts?
maybe one of our politicos will explain the resaons for this.
another disabled person i know aged over 80 spends over £500 on cabs to hospitals each year.
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,888
27 November 2010
20:5281964I hope the 80 year old person is claiming attendance allowance which should help his taxi costs.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
27 November 2010
20:5581965howard
thats tragic
i thought this govt pledged not to effect the disabled?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
27 November 2010
21:3581976looks like a u turn by those caring condems.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
27 November 2010
21:5581985Yes that is right Howard another cut back,this was Silver in the Delivering Effective Service Strategy,so it is being changed.Where DDC had £20,000 in the budget this year just gone it was estimated only £11,000 was used to help those who couldn't access buses to get Taxi's.
The scheme was always popular with those that used it,and what the Council is doing is working with the Dover District Volunteer Centre to provide wider coverage.They are giving DDVC £4,500 per annumfor the next 3 years.This will effect 429 exsisting travel voucher customers.I believe that those who qualify will pay an annual membership of £5 to DDVC and £2 for each return trop.
Yes once again the thin edge of the wedge but will help the DDVC who will be able to offer a bigger/better service.
Needless to say the Labour group were not at all keen on this service going.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 November 2010
22:0681988thanks for that john, when you say return trip is that for every hospital they would need to go to?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
27 November 2010
22:0981990Before DDC get blamed, I don't know if Dover is the same but in Ashford bus passes are moving accross to KCC from April next year...
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
27 November 2010
22:0981991Concessionary Travel Voucher Sheme will close on the 31st March, a change in legistration which transfers the Bus Travel Scheme to KCC from 1st April with the power to offer an alternative scheme, the travel voucher scheme.
You can claim consessionary bus pass which will provide you with free travel on the local bus throughout England off peak times, a disabled person like myself, can have this, or be offered the alternative. DDC is supporting the Dover District Volunteer Service Transport Scheme to help them offer alternative service, this takes you to hospital appointments no matter how far, they wait for you up to 2 hours to bring you back, the cost of this to you is 45p per mile, to whom you pay the driver, in cash at the end of the trip, or Cardinal coaches with help from KCC, does dial a ride service, this takes members from their door to places in their local area, you can join this service if you have a medical condition that prevents you using public transport, a years membership costs £5, I cannot see this being much help, but it is the other alternative
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
27 November 2010
22:1081992As I understand it Howard,Paul you are right KCC will run the bus passes from April.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
27 November 2010
22:2681997so sheila people like yourselves unable to use the buses are to lose a vital service
and thats sad
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
27 November 2010
22:4381999john is saying about 2 quid a round trip to the hospital, from what sheila is saying it will be about 20 quid.
maybe paul the fuhrer can clarify the situation?
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
27 November 2010
22:4682000According to the document in front of me,'instead of drivers collecting 5p a mile for admin an easier admin system will be introduced of charging a one off charger of £2 per return journey.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 652- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 595
27 November 2010
22:4882002The information that I gave and have in front of me, mentions nothing about a couple of quid
Guest 671- Registered: 4 May 2008
- Posts: 2,095
28 November 2010
09:5982020My wife is one of those disabled people losing her taxi vouchers; she cannot use a bus, so she's lost out. When disabled people had the choice, they chose their preference on how they could travel not which one they wanted to travel on, so no one will benefit from this loss, even taxi drivers will lose out and subsequently taxi firms, it was a big revenue to them.
"My New Year's Resolution, is to try and emulate Marek's level of chilled out, thoughtfulness and humour towards other forumites and not lose my decorum"
Unregistered User
28 November 2010
11:1582036KCC take over the scheme in April. Change introduced by the last government not this one.
The effects can be quite horrific with nobody quite knowing how the scheme was funded, i.e. the formula used to calculate repayments to councils for the costs.
According to officials at Dept. of CLG there can be 46 methods by which the calculation is applied, nobody knows which-their quote.
The switch to KCC could mean DDC could be as much as £500k in deficit or if LUCKY break even.
Even so, as identified we have tried to protect the user by helping support the volunteer transport scheme in an attempt to mitigate any adverse effects. I note the comments.
Transport is a County Council funded function not a District Council one.
The concessionary fare scheme has been controversial in the way it was funded from the start.
It was open ended and councils were unaware of whether demand would create deficits or surpluses.
A lottery to say the least.
I believe both John and Sheila have probably accurately described different facets of the change, recognising John just choose to infer the changes were this government not previous one.
Watty
28 November 2010
11:2182037Wading through the funding streams in the public sector is enough to start a migraine on a bad day..........
Unregistered User
28 November 2010
11:2782040I keep taking the remedies Bern. Liquid ones preferably, dulls the pain.
Watty
28 November 2010
11:3682045howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
28 November 2010
13:2382089i am none the wiser for that paul, i have always been surprised that the county council run the scheme yet the district councils send out the passes and taxi vouchers.
is john correct about the £.2 round trip as far as you know?
Unregistered User
28 November 2010
13:3682099Howard at present the County Council DOES NOT run the scheme.
It is the District Councils across Kent and there are many financial discrepancies between each on funding allocation from a central pot.
From April it transfers from Districts to County.
As for John's assertion, frankly I don't know.
He read out what he believes to be the new scheme.
I can't pretend to know all DDC's changes. I'll try to get clarification if John's statement is not correct.
As you are none the wiser , perhaps you can understand how we feel without knowing what the system is and how it is funded.
You can't challenge the undefinable , just point out the inadequacies.
Of course that was the previous government system carried over. Not a political but factual point.
Watty
