Chris Maule-Oatway of the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind.

Norfolk County Council u-turn on free bus travel for the blind

Dan Grimmer Monday, January 16, 2012
4:46 PM

Blind and visually impaired people in Norfolk will be able to get round the clock free bus travel, after an 11th hour change of heart by council leaders.

Norfolk County Council, which last April took over responsibility from district councils for concessionary bus travel, had removed an extra morning hour of free bus travel for pass holders.

The authority, facing a gap of £4.5m between what the government gives it to reimburse bus operators and the actual cost of the scheme, cut the hours pass holders can get free travel, so people had to wait until after 9,30am and could not travel for free before 8.30am.

Blind people have said the decision to take away that extra hour placed them at a disadvantage, with many relying on buses before 9.30am to get them to work, to hospital appointments, to college or around shops before they got too busy.

The council’s cabinet scrutiny committee urged their leaders to think again, but the controlling Conservative cabinet had said, based on legal advice, it could not make an exception for the blind, because that might lead to a legal challenge from other groups.

However, at today’s meeting of the full council, council leader Derrick Murphy, pictured, announced a way had been found to fund 24-hour bus travel for the blind and visually impaired, along with companion passes for eligible disabled people.

Mr Murphy said, because blind and visually impaired people had been especially disadvantaged and already lose out on other benefits because of inequalities, it was the “right thing to do” to spend £51,000 to ensure they and companions could get free bus travel.

He said: “We have listened carefully to all the arguments put forward, including representations from the Norfolk and Norwich Association of the Blind and the Royal National Institute for the Blind and members of our cabinet scrutiny committee.

“It is clear to us that blind and visually impaired concessionary travel pass holders have been especially disadvantaged by the loss of these discretionary enhancements and experience more disadvantages than other groups because of inequalities in benefit provision and social care eligibility.

“Few blind people can claim the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living allowance, which is worth an extra £30 a week.

“This is a significant amount to people who are often on low incomes and who face the additional costs of being disabled. Blind and visually impaired people often have the same or greater need for support with travel.

“What’s more, many blind and visually impaired people cannot claim support with transport through a Personal Budget. Having considered these special factors, I am convinced that, as a listening and caring council that is trying to help as many people as possible with our limited resources, restoring the 24 hour pass and reintroducing companion passes is the right thing to do.”

Chris Maule-Oatway, from the Norfolk and Norwich Association of the Blind, which has campaigned for the free travel, said: “We are delighted. We always felt if we plugged away they would listen.”

A spokesman for the charity added: “As a charity representing 20,000 blind and visually impaired people in Norfolk, we are delighted at this decision which will restore dignity and independence to those who rely on bus transport in their everyday lives.

“This change of heart shows that councillors are prepared to listen to reasoned argument and accept our assertion that their original decision was having a disproportionate impact on blind people.

“Allowing registered blind people to travel without cost before 9.30am will make a massive difference to those who are working, those who need to get to college or courses and for those who have early hospital appointments or want to shop while stores are less busy.

“We are proud to have championed this issue on behalf of some of Norfolk’s most vulnerable people, and pleased that even in these challenging financial times there is a place not just for compassion but for common sense among our councillors.”

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22 comments

How can a working blind person be disadvantaged without a free bus pass and travel into work and pay like all other working people to a blind person with a free bus pass? How does a free bus pass enable a blind person use a bus going to work?

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NchNthMan

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
With all due respect to all people who are disabled, but why should only some disabled people been traveling for free... Should be the same rule for all. Regarding concesson passes, well, I hear a gentleman complain loudly when the travel times changed to 9:30 am, that he had to pay to get to work, the mentioned man is a manager with an income of over £40k, why should he travel for free, when people on less then minimum wages have to pay.

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Thorpe7

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Bumped into a chap in Norwich today who was begging. Got talking and turns out he’s from Diss. He has a free bus pass and uses it to go to Norwich. More people….richer pickings. He was a bit ‘unusual’…

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Andy T

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
well there are too many concessions--not all are for the blind or old.I have seen certain others with free passes--i think they used to be called simpletons in my day.

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bookworm

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Bookworm the blind allways had free travel on busses going back as long as I can remember so it.s nothing new . Good that this Tory lot ARE for turning.

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Rorping

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
i have seen OAPs pay that sum of £1.25 in front of me.

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bookworm

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
bookworm - I'd love to know where you get that figure of £1.25? I pay £2 for a mile!! If these people work they are earning - then paying a busfare like the rest of us is only fair.

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biglingers

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
everyone feels sorry for the blind BUT everyone should pay £1.25 per trip which is what OAPS have to pay before the 930am cut off point kicks in.with fares rising every few months it is morally wrong to let totally free travel.

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bookworm

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Great news. If the whingers below would care to read the story properly they will see that these people need the extra hour to get to WORK a nasty four letter word that I guess some of the contributors on here do not understand. Therefore, they are paying income tax, National Insurance, council tax etc. Unlike the DLA scroungers who are capable of working but choose to sit back and let the rest of us pay for their parasitic existence. (I know this does not apply to all but I personally know of many!)

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IT Man

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Peter W, don't think that will happen anytime soon..the banking elite and it's government stooges have everything sorted and going to plan.

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nrg

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Hardest Hit are leaving their mark in the campaign for equal rights.I cherish the day the Bankers are forced to pay.

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Peter Watson

Monday, January 16, 2012
Christine Good, sad to hear of your Sttepdaughter.. I'm not like the government or local councilors, I don't believe in divide and rule agendas amongst the disabled or even normal peeps. I'm afraid in your Stepdaughters case, it's an illness and not as such a disability in the travel sense. Cycling and walking is an option and a healthy one for most epileptics.

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nrg

Monday, January 16, 2012
Blackdoggie, I don't normally wag my tail for others, but in this instance for the blind I do.....the power of google.........Are you eligible for a Motability car? To lease a car from Motability, you must be receiving either: * Higher Rate Mobility Component (HRMC) of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - currently £51.40 per week, or, * War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement (WPMS) - currently £57.40 per week. all peeps have to find is the tax and insurance, most dealers chuck all these in for free...simples even for doggies like yourself..next!

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nrg

Monday, January 16, 2012
nrg not all disabled people have the option of driving what about epileptics? My stepdaughter works, contributes to society but will never be allowed a driving license.

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Christine Good

Monday, January 16, 2012
Great news. As a blind person i am delighted. I am fully capable of working but cannot get work localy so travel for 3 to 4 hours a day just so i can conribute to society. Many other disabilities do not qualify because either it does not affect the persons ability to drive such as the deaf or mobility payments are made to aquire cars and adaptions to make cars adaplable for the disabled. The blind can never drive nor can any adaptions be made to allow them to do so

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Jonathan Pollard

Monday, January 16, 2012
I wonder if nrg would please tell what the "hefty allowance" is to run and maintain a car. There are an awful lot of disabled people missing out on this "GHOST ALLOWANCE" I suspect that this is yet another misconception from someone that knows it all!

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blackdog2

Monday, January 16, 2012
Peter, the blind don't have that option of not driving, all other disabled peeps do have the option of taking up the mobility allowance. The £30k that this scheme will cost... is nowt compared to the useless CEO of NCC, £260,000 plus every year, David White costs the taxpayer of Norfolk. If this useless numpty had an ounce of decency in his body he would take a pay cut to pay for this scheme...I won't hold my breath for it to happen.

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nrg

Monday, January 16, 2012
We are all to quick to jump on certain classes of people be it blind or disabled. Until we are in their position we have no clue what it is like. How about attack those that ruin this country government leaders, leaders from councils who are clueless, and not attack those in society who need help and lets face it are not given it !

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chebram71

Monday, January 16, 2012
No nrg some disabled people drive, many do not. Many blind people work, so why shouldn't they all receive the same treatment? Mind you having said that if they were all charged a concessionary fair, including the free loading pensioners, then everyone could be happy.

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chucky noris

Monday, January 16, 2012
totally unfair.no wonder bus routes are being cut and fares are rising.

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bookworm

Monday, January 16, 2012
Many disabled people have cars, and get a hefty allowance to run and maintain the vehicle. Blind people don't have this option, whilst having to rely, mostly.. on public transport.

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nrg

Monday, January 16, 2012
With all due respect to blind people as it must be terrible, but I can't understand how they can be allowed free travel when other disabled people have to pay full fare? Surely they are all in the same boat, and this ruling would seem unfair to others and should be challenged.

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chucky noris

Monday, January 16, 2012