I don't think anyone is "abusing the system", but someone has to pay for the pass that gives you free travel on your holidays. It isn't the Government- the supposed budget for ENCTS is not ring-fenced, and council funding has been cut significantly- so who should it be?
As we're seeing, even PTEs are having to restrict what you get with your ENCTS, purely because of the cost. The old scheme was you paid a token fare on the bus and a token fare on the train. Now, because of the cost of the scheme, you don't get any discounts on the train at all. And that's before we consider the impact it's had on funding for things like AccessBus in West Yorkshire.
ENCTS was brought in as an election sop by Gordon Brown. It needs to be discarded because it is unaffordable and badly thought out.
Most countys have concluded bus reviews, mainly as a result of the cost of concessionary travel. North Yorkshire is one such area which has done one recently.
The consultation documents said
"We are already committed to saving £94million over the four years ending 31 March 2015, but following recent announcements by the Government over future funding, we now need to find a further estimated £77million between 2015 and 2019.
Members of the council have agreed to start a number of public consultations on our proposals for saving this money.
Earlier this year we ran a consultation to gauge public support for reducing expenditure in particular areas. Reduced spending on concessionary fares and public transport were ranked high at that time. Whilst we are still committed to investing in public transport we have to look at reducing the amount of money we spend to support bus services in the county by £1.1million.
At present we spend £4.4m a year on subsidising the 20% of bus journeys which
are not commercially viable. They are provided by private bus companies and are
referred to as subsidised services because the Council pays the difference
between the cost of providing the service, the fares paid by passengers and
reimbursement for concessionary fares paid by the Council. We use competitive
tendering to get the best price for these services. We also work with the
Community and Voluntary sectors to enable them to provide alternative services
such as car schemes and Dial a Ride services.
In 2012/13, 3.3m passenger journeys were made on our subsidised services the
average subsidy per passenger journey is £1.35. In most cases the services
subsidised by the Council are the only ones available to the communities they
serve.
The Council also pays the cost of concessionary bus passes. It is expected that
this will cost us £8.7m in 2013/14. This is a statutory scheme which cannot be
changed by the Council."
So ultimately they have to save the money from somewhere, the level of concessionary fare reimbursement strikes me as high, but not surprising. So they reduce subsidised bus services to save money, and then everyone who uses those buses loses out - fare payers and ENCTS pass holders. Prior to the ENCTS pass they would be spending no where near as much as the £8.7m on paying bus fares - as most people would have paid a fare of some description, even in their own areas. The scheme also affects bus operators directly, especially smaller operators who suffer reduced income and cash flow. Fares for other passengers go up as a result - also noted in NYCC documents.
So, whilst I agree with reduced price travel, I do not agree with a legal requirement to give free travel. It causes all sorts of problems. Not least that one of the buses I use to get to some pubs in the country is being withdrawn so I won't be able to visit said pubs!
Back on topic, the official brief has come out:
SYPTE have now confirmed changes to the current ENCTS travel scheme within the Travel
South Yorkshire area.
This brief will help you with any questions customers may ask you, as the scheme currently
allows travel on train within the Travel South Yorkshire area and also on direct Northern Rail
services from South Yorkshire to West Yorkshire.
From Monday 31 March 2014 concessionary (elderly and disabled person) travel passes issued
by Travel South Yorkshire will no longer be accepted on trains. This means that from this date
holders of these passes will cease to be able to travel for free on the train.
If asked:
The pass is still valid for free travel on buses and trams in South Yorkshire between 0930 and
2300hrs on weekdays and at anytime on Bank Holidays and at weekends
Do tell customers that the National Rail website provides details of the Senior Railcard and
Disabled Persons Railcard as alternative options for affected customers
All other South Yorkshire tickets remain valid.
If customers have further questions, please refer them to South Yorkshire Traveline who can be
contacted via its website
www.travelsouthyorkshire.com or telephone 01709 515151.
Please do not refer them to Customer Relations, any other Train Operators
Customer Relations Department or National Rail Enquiries.