Local government has given a mixed reaction to the Government's latest decision over the concessionary fares scheme. The Department for Transport (DfT) launched a consultation on the controversial scheme last week (The MJ, 4 October), and announced it would be carried out through special grants. The South West Local Government Association (SWLGA), which had been campaigning for a change to the funding support, welcomed the news. ‘From April 2008, the over-60s and disabled people in the South West will be able to travel free on buses anywhere in England, which is a great benefit to hundreds of thousands of people in the region,' said SWLGA chair, Cllr Roger Hutchinson. But Southampton City Council's cabinet member for transport, Cllr Gavin Dick, said the council was facing a £1m budget shortfall because of the scheme. ‘No-one actually knows what is going on,' said Cllr Dick. ‘The Government keeps changing the rules. We don't mind implementing this, but what we are after is the money to pay for it.'
