The apparently naive written question can sometimes elicit surprising answers. My colleague Chris Slyfield asked a question to the Executive Member for Transport that he had been asked by elderly and disabled people in his area: ‘who had made the decision, and why, to alter the time on their Bus Passes from 9.00am to 9.30am’. Chris pointed out that this made it difficult for them to get to early morning medical appointments.

There was a clear reply from the Executive Member (Surrey’s equivalent of a Minister for Transport) explaining that this was a national change. From the first of April, funding for travel for the over sixties and disabled between 9.30 and 23.00 on weekdays and all of weekends and public holidays will come from Central Government. Anything beyond this will have to be paid for by the ‘Travel Concession Authorities’, which in Surrey are the Boroughs and Districts.

The last I had heard about this, none of the the Boroughs and Districts were going to put in the extra. 

So it was a bit of a surprise, even if I feel this is a move in the right direction, to be told that: “After a great deal of deliberation the Boroughs and Districts of Surrey failed to reach a consensus position on the scheme to be offered across the County. Seven Boroughs have elected to offer the National Concession, whilst the remaining four (Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley and Woking) have agreed to offer a start time of 09.00 for both 60+ and disabled pass holders.”

Surrey is stuck with co-ordinating this scheme, with no control over policy, administration or funding.  The conclusion of the Executive Member’s answer is, I think, something of an understatement: 

“This is likely to cause confusion for both service user and bus drivers, given that the majority of bus routes pass into at least two local authority areas.”

And it’s due to start in less than a month!