Date: 10 December 2009 BROCKLEBANK : ‘REVIEW NEEDED INTO FIFE CONCESSIONARY RAIL SCHEME’ Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Ted Brocklebank, has raised Fife Council’s review of its concessionary rail scheme in the Scottish Parliament.
The Council is believed to be considering the possibility of scrapping the concessionary rail scheme altogether which would have a profound impact on the elderly community in Fife. Mr Brocklebank would prefer to see a slight increase in costs to the service user to ensure that rail travel remains available to all pensioners at a low and affordable rate.
Speaking in today’s debate on concessionary travel, Mr Brocklebank said;
“Concessionary rates are available only on non-peak rail journeys and have been extremely popular, particularly among the elderly wishing to travel between Fife stations and the capital, as well as to Perth and Dundee. Currently, Fife Council contributes £700,000 per annum to this scheme.
“However, Conservatives, and I include our council colleagues, are nothing if not realistic when it comes to financial prudence. Would that we could say the same about the recent administrations who have run Fife Council.
“It is vitally important that elderly people are allowed the independence and quality of life that concessionary travel provides, particularly since the elderly are among the most vulnerable of Fifers when it comes to finding ways within their budgets to pay extra for such things as home care services and community alarms.
“But the elderly are also among the most responsible members in society and I believe that most would accept that when Gordon Brown’s recession has landed the UK economy in its worst crisis in living memory, they too perhaps have to contribute a little more.
“Any variable scheme would disproportionately penalise residents in North East Fife – a not unusual situation brought about by West Fife politicians who seem to forget that the county extends beyond Levenmouth.
“But to help reduce the overall cost of the scheme I believe that the cost of a flat rate return journey between Fife stations and Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh could be tripled to £3. This 200% increase is a sum I believe most concessionaires would find reasonable, especially in the current economic climate. And I commend a review along these lines to the SNP-LibDem Council.” | 
