A Transport Minister is ‘reflecting’ on the case for helping Islanders meet the cost of cross-Solent travel, following representations from the Island’s MP and leading Councillors.
Andrew Turner MP (with council leader Cllr Andy Sutton and transport supremo Cllr Ian Ward) yesterday lobbied Karen Buck MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, for help with ferry fares for pensioners, students, jobseekers, and those travelling for health reasons. Their suggestion that the Government’s scheme for free bus fares for pensioners, which is due to take effect on 1st April 2006, be extended to cover ferries, met with a firm rebuff. But the Minister did agree to reflect on the case for assistance following evidence of the costs involved in patient travel.
Afterwards, Mr Turner said:
“The Minister said that the bus travel scheme could not be extended because no-one had costed the inclusion of ferries, and other councils would demand help with, for example, the Tyneside metro.
“But when we gave evidence of the hardship afflicting patients and their relatives, and the fact that the hospital car service available in most rural areas could not get them from home to hospitals on the mainland, she agreed to ‘reflect’ on the matter.
“This is the first step in what will have to be a very long haul to make ministers understand the difficulties Islanders face accessing services and facilities, which elsewhere their policies are designed to alleviate. I do not expect good news very soon. But this is the first time since I was first elected in 2001 that the Council has begun genuinely to explore with Ministers how people can be helped to cross the Solent, and we are not going to abandon all efforts at the first setback.”
Cllr Andy Sutton added,
“This Council is determined to keep working hard on these issues until we get some positive answers on help for needy Islanders. It is clear that in the past the Local Authority has never talked to civil servants during the process of policy development to ensure that our particular needs are considered. We will be doing so in future. It is a great bonus that we are able to work so closely with our MP Andrew Turner, who for the past four years has been a lone voice for extra help for the Island.”
