Plans to cut free bus travel in Norfolk edge closer
Plans to cut the times when pensioners can use their bus passes to get free travel around Norfolk edged a step nearer at a council meeting today.
Bosses at Norfolk County Council are considering scrapping an extra hour in the morning when the concessionary passes can currently be used.
The authority takes over responsibility for administering the free travel scheme for people eligible for bus passes next year, but at a meeting of the county council's cabinet today officers made clear the county council cannot afford to offer free travel between 8.30am and 9.30am – which is above and beyond the statutory minimum.
In a report which came before the councillors, officers warned it was 'likely that the council will not be able to continue to provide the scheme in its current form and will only be able to offer the statutory minimum.'
In 2008/9 the county's seven district councils paid back almost �10m to bus operators to make up the money the companies missed out on because people took advantage of free bus travel.
You may also want to watch:
And the county council said there is 'a significant risk' that government funding will not cover the cost of that pay-out next year.
At today's meeting it was also agreed to push ahead with plans to create a new primary school in Lingwood.
Most Read
- 1 Calls to stop major development in expanding village
- 2 Streets in Norwich close for car-free day
- 3 Warning to others after mum breaks leg using park zip wire
- 4 What 45,000 new homes will mean for our city
- 5 'A very easy Brexit win' - Traders have say on imperial measures change
- 6 New sculpture trail launched for park near Norwich
- 7 Impact of T-Rex trail revealed as sculptures leave city
- 8 Five of the most expensive properties for rent in Norwich
- 9 Man arrested after assaulting three police officers outside Popworld
- 10 Air ambulance called and A47 closed after incident
The proposal is to create a 210-pupil school for five to 11-year-olds on the current site of Lingwood First and Nursery School. See tomorrow's Evening News for the full stories.
