No pluses to county council proposal

At this time of harsh cutbacks on services and welfare benefits that are affecting lots of people, including many disabled people, I find it particularly cruel that Warwickshire County Council is getting rid of its +1 free bus pass from April 2013 (which currently enables another person to accompany a disabled person for free locally).

I can’t imagine they will make much in the way of savings here if that is their aim, as only a few qualifying disabled people get this extra +1 pass. They already need to have a condition that makes it unsafe, or they are unable to travel on their own on the bus. For the even rarer few that qualify and at the same time do not receive high rate mobility component of D.L.A. (Which qualifies them for the Motability scheme and their own car), it may mean the difference between going out fairly regularly or not.

My friend who is an unstable epileptic is one of those few, and as I don’t qualify for a free bus pass myself in spite of being a full time carer on carer’s allowance, I am neither disabled nor retired, I will be severely affected. This will mean that from April 2013 either my friend has to travel alone, risking having seizures on the bus (which I’m sure both the bus company and other passengers would find very difficult to deal with) or paying for an accompanying carer i.e. myself each time, and doing very minimal or no journeys due to high cost on our low income.

Maybe the answer is simple; my friend is just expected to stay at home and not go out? Why where those affected not properly consulted in the decision making process?

At the very least I think we (and others affected) deserve a full explanation.

I would like to point out that both myself and my friend whom I care for have both worked and paid into the system for many years, and would love to be in the position to work and pay our way for more. Is a free bus pass so much to ask? - Name and address supplied.