This year sees the tenth anniversary of the introduction of the England-
wide Bus Pass or the English National travel Concessionary Travel
Scheme. To celebrate the event Richard Worrell, transport campaigner
and member of the National Pensioners Convention Travel Committee has
embarked on a 16-day circular tour of England by local bus services
starting from his home town of Walsall. He arrived in Crewe on Saturday
lunchtime on the No 3 from Hanley accompanied by Owen Sloss of North
Staffs Pensioners Convention and was greeted by committee members
from South Cheshire Pensioners Association. With only a few minutes to
spare he then boarded the 84 to Chester from where he would catch
another bus to Liverpool then Southport and Preston arriving in Blackpool
just before 8.00 p.m.
Richard said "The NPC is wholly committed to campaigning to retaining
this universal benefit. Since 2010 some senior politicians, such as the
current Conservative Party Chair, Brandon Lewis, and former LibDem
Leader Nick Clegg - have called for 'reform' of the English National
Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS - the 'bus pass') as a national
universal entitlement free at the point of use, notwithstanding academic
analysis of the social/economic value of the scheme showing a 3:1
benefit-to-cost ratio to the nation."
Chair of South Cheshire Pensioners Kevan Larkin said "The Bus Pass is a
great scheme that does so much for the quality of life of millions of older
and disabled people, and many pensioners have told me it is for them an
absolute lifeline."
Left to right Owen Sloss, Richard Worrell, Kevan Larkin in front of the 84
to Chester at Crewe Bus Station.
