U-turn on bus passes by SKDC...?

South Kesteven may finally be dragged into the twentieth century with the same travel concessions for elderly and disabled people as have been enjoyed for years in every other part of Lincolnshire. The Conservatives who run the Grantham based South Kesteven District Council have finally been persuaded that they can afford to offer free concessionary travel on local buses before 9.30 in the morning. Every other council in our county of all political persuasions snapped up the Labour Government's generous cash handout to give elderly and disabled people a better deal a couple of years ago.

The change of heart is a victory for the long running campaign by local people - and supported by the Stamford Mercury.

Today's Mercury reports that a decision will be made next week to go for a 'consultation' before possibly making the changes in six months time.

If you see Deeping St James Conservative district councillors Ray Auger or Brian Hellyar - or any of their Tory mates - ask them why they are delaying doing the decent thing for another six months...

WHY NOT NOW...?

Time for a Fair Deal on the Buses...

Mean-spirited councillors at Grantham have again decided to put off giving Deeping pensioners the same deal on the buses enjoyed in every other part of Lincolnshire.

Last April, Conservative-controlled South Kesteven Council refused to join a county-wide scheme to extend the Government's concessionary fares scheme to include buses before 9.30am.

They said they needed time to see how much it would cost.

Now the figures are in for the first six months of the scheme - and the actual cost to the council is about HALF what they actually bugetted for.

Now they have decided they need more time.

I believe it's an absolute disgrace.

More discrimination on the buses for local pensioners and disabled people...

Pensioners and disabled people across South Kesteven are being denied free all-day bus travel - thanks to the meanest district council in Lincolnshire.

South Kesteven District Council is the only local authority in the whole of Lincolnshire refusing to join a county-wide scheme to help pensioners and disabled people.

Over the years, I've campaigned to improve bus travel, particularly for our pensioners and disabled people. That's how I became known as Fair Deal Phil!

As county councillor for Deeping St James, I've lobbied for a county-wide scheme to end the unfairness. But South Kesteven District Council - and even our local district councillors elected to represent local people - would not sign up.

There was great news in April when Gordon Brown brought in free off-peak bus travel across the country for pass holders.

In a welcome gesture, Lincolnshire County Council has now agreed to stump up the cash to top up the Government scheme and make the bus passes free round-the-clock - if the district councils would match this subsidy.

Six district councils have willingly agreed - South Holland, Lincoln, Boston, East Lindsey, West Lindsey and North Kesteven.

But not South Kesteven.

According to figures in today's Spalding Guardian, it would cost SKDC a little over £17,000 to allow pensioners and disabled people to use their passes at any time.

That sounds like good value to me.

But the county scheme will go ahead without SK.

That means that every council taxpayer in the Deepings and across SK will be forced to pay the county council subsidy - but receive none of the benefits.

Once again, local pensioners and disabled people will have to pay for the incompetence of our Grantham-based district council.

SKDC: Hang your heads in shame.

Fair Deal on Buses thanks to Government after local council failure year on year...

Generous national concessions on the buses were announced by the Government yesterday after year-on-year failure by our mean-spirited district councillors to do the decent thing.

I’ve campaigned for at least five years to end South Kesteven District Council’s Scrooge scheme on concessionary fares...

I've taken older people to Grantham to watch Deepings councillors vote against a more generous scheme after promising they would vote for it...

I've handed out Mickey Mouse bus passes to our local councillors and campaigned at the county council for a Lincolnshire-wide deal...

I even managed to get a Government Minister to Deeping St James to tell SKDC they were wrong...

A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed HERE that if I could slip just one line into the Queen's Speech, it would be:

“My Government will legislate to make sure all local councils offer a fair deal for pensioners on concessionary travel.”

Well, I’d better be careful what I wish for. The following day, the Queen uttered these fine words:

“Legislation will provide for free off-peak local bus travel for pensioners and disabled people.”

Spot on, Your Majesty.

Yesterday, just a few days after the Queen’s Speech, Prime Minister Tony Blair and Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander unveiled the Concessionary Bus Travel Bill.

SKDC were forced by the Government to deliver free off-peak travel on buses for pensioners and disabled people from April this year thanks to a £350 million investment – but only within local authority boundaries.

The other councils in Lincolnshire - and many across the country - went further and allowed free journeys to local shops and hospitals in neighbouring counties.

But the scrooges at SKDC stubbornly refused to budge.

That meant today Bourne and Deepings pensioners are forced to pay full fare when they get to the county border – while those from the six other districts travelling much further distances on the same bus get their entire journey to Queensgate totally free.

The new scheme launched by the Prime Minister yesterday goes much further (if you see what I mean) than even I dared hope for.

It’s a countrywide a free-travel scheme for the over 60s and disabled people backed up with an extra £250 million in Government funds from 2008.

So pensioners and disabled people will get free off-peak or weekend tickets on buses to visit parts of England they have always wanted to go to.

Great news for Deepings and Bourne pensioners and disabled people.