Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday dashed hopes that pensioners could benefit from cheap ferry fares.
Responding to a House of Commons question from Island MP Andrew Turner, the Prime Minister said that he could not give a commitment that similar concessions would be made available on ferries to those the Government is implementing on long-distance coach services.
Mr Turner had asked him, at Prime Minister’s question time, to extend his promised concessionary travel for pensioners on long-distance coach services to ferries.
He said afterwards:
“The Prime Minister’s answer was very disappointing. He has shown a total lack of care for pensioners on the Island. He seems not to realise that they find it harder to keep in touch with families and friends than elderly people on the mainland because of the high cost of crossing the Solent.
“But this is not the end of efforts to secure a fair deal on ferry fares. The Travel Concessions Bill is now going through Parliament and I intend to try to include such a provision in that Bill.”
