Policy instruments (4) - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 249

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London English met areas Rest of GB

Figure 15.3 Local authority support for local bus services by area 1996/97-2006/07

For a short period between 2002 and 2004 the Government also introduced an
Urban Bus Challenge fund to support projects designed to increase opportunities from
disadvantaged communities in line with the recommendations of the Social Exclusion
Unit (ODPM 2003b). In the event part of this fund was utilised - hijacked might be
a better word - to trial a new type of project labelled 'Kickstart' proposed by the bus
operator Stagecoach. This had entirely different objectives and was applicable to any
type of area. A further round of Kickstart awards (only) was made in 2005. Projects
are designed to pump-prime new services capable of achieving patronage and modal
shift and to 'have a clear prospect of becoming commercially viable or otherwise fully
sustaining with a guarantee of local authority support' (DfT 2005d).
All forms of grant for specific bus services (i.e. other than BSOG and RBSG)
have now come to an end. This can be seen as clearing the decks to allow for the
introduction of more radical reforms referred to earlier.

15.7 Concessionary fares
Provision for concessionary fares was originally made under the 1968 Transport Act,
re-enacted (but with essentially the same effect) under s93 of the 1985 Act. This
gives district and unitary authorities outside London (PTEs in the conurbations)
the discretionary power to provide concessionary travel on local bus services for
elderly and disabled persons. Each authority determines its own scheme (known as
s93 schemes) and reimburses operators for the net cost to them of participating in it.
Separate arrangements apply in London where a unified scheme is operated by TfL
under the 1999 Greater London Authority Act.
The 1985 Act allows authorities to specify:

• the concession to be offered (e.g. half fare, flat fare, pre-paid tokens)
• the eligible categories of passenger
• the times when the concession is to be available
• the area within which the concession applies
• the method by which reimbursement is to be calculated
• arrangements for making payment to operators.