Minutes

20      CONCESSIONARY FARES 2023/24 – PUBLICATION OF FINAL SCHEME – The Director: Economy and Environment submitted a report seeking approval for the “Final Scheme” for concessionary fares reimbursement. The final scheme had to be published by 3 March 2023.

The council, as a Travel Concession Authority, had a duty to provide free travel for older people and people with disabilities between 9.30am and 11.00pm, Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and bank holidays. This was part of the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS).  The council reimbursed bus operators for concessionary passengers that travelled on local registered bus services boarding within North Lincolnshire. 

With effect from 2017/18, the council had moved to a voluntary capped fund arrangement with bus operators. The council used the Department for Transport’s (DfT) reimbursement calculator as the basis for negotiations.

For 2023/24 the council would reimburse operators at 100% of pre-COVID payments, in line with guidance from the DfT issued in November 2022. Any new operators would be reimbursed using the published DfT guidance and calculator using actual ENCTS pass usage.

Smaller operators with infrequent services (eg once per week) and community transport providers would have simpler arrangements which was permitted in DfT guidance.

The law required the council to issue passes to eligible residents. Bus operators were reimbursed for carrying concessionary passholders, on a “no better off and no worse off” basis.

There were currently 23003 North Lincolnshire passes in circulation. The breakdown of the passes was detailed in the report at paragraph 2.5.

The qualifying age for the elderly pass was issued in line with the state pension age (currently 66). This had seen a reduction in passes issued in North Lincolnshire over the past decade as it had increased from the age of 60 since 2010. 

Local Authorities acknowledged the current situation regarding COVID-19 and the measures that had been in place to reimburse bus operators for concessionary travel at pre-COVID levels since April 2020, as encouraged by the Department for Transport. The standard method of reimbursement in North Lincolnshire was aligned with national guidance issued by the Department for Transport.

Resolved – (a) That the “Draft Scheme” attached to the report be approved, and (b) that whether to amend any aspects of the scheme before the final scheme is published in early March 2023 be considered.