No reason not to restore the train concession for the elderly and disabled of South Yorkshire - Yorkshire Post Letters

In many ways the campaign to restore the train concession for the elderly and disabled of South Yorkshire has had Shakespearean elements of dogged resistance, of skullduggery, of deceit, mendacity, of ruthless absolute power, of injustice, of unfairness. But as Shakespeare also observed, “ …at the length the truth will out. “. And as it turns out it’s a truth hidden in plain sight.

As a result of the bogus Gold Card report to the Transport Committee 15/12/22, held behind closed doors with a committee kept in the dark as to the reality of how the concessions are arranged elsewhere, I revisited transport reports and documents gathered over nine years of campaigning.

In the Railways Act 1993 the truth was revealed that the concession could have been restored by applying the following, “TOCs (Train Operating Companies) are also required to participate in any local authority‘s concessionary fare scheme providing there is no loss to the train operator”.

Nine years ago the concession was removed to save £329,000 and replaced with a revenue replacing half fare. This at most cost the SYPTE £170,000 a year - £340,000 altogether.

So, far from the ludicrous and mendacious claim by the Mayor that restoring the concession could cost £45m, it could have been amicably restored with just £1 over the £340,000, ensuring it met the requirements of the act - “required to participate in any local authority‘s concessionary fare scheme providing there is no loss to the train operator”.

We elderly may well be, as Shakespeare observed, in the seventh stage of life but we still have eyes, we can still taste, we still have teeth. But above all we still have our wits about us and know when we are being deceived.

If the Transport Committee has any power it must reconvene - with or without the Mayor - and make the right decision based on the evidence.

And that’s for full restoration.