Written question WQ96356
- Asked by
- Gareth DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 12 days
Question
Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on discussions between the Welsh Government and the UK Government regarding reciprocal arrangements for the acceptance of concessionary bus passes across the Wales and England border?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
Whilst we remain open to the suggestion of cross border concessionary travel cards, our immediate priority is to maintain funding to the existing Welsh Concessionary Travel scheme. The scheme provides free local bus travel for eligible elderly and disabled people on local bus services across Wales and for cross border journeys on local bus services either starting or finishing in Wales, which is more generous than the qualifying criteria and times of use in England.
My officials have discussed the idea of a cross-border scheme with their counterparts in other UK jurisdictions on numerous occasions, however, there has been limited appetite to bring forward such a scheme to date due to funding pressures and differences between the various schemes. We will continue to keep the issue under review and should the opportunity arise positively consider such a move.