£1 million + threat to Council Funds

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Gavin James has warned that Basingstoke and Deane residents could lose out on over £1 million of support to public transport if changes proposed by the County Council are allowed to go ahead.

Gavin explained: "The details are quite complicated but the effect is quite simple. Basingstoke and Deane Council currently spends £2.3 million on bus passes and travel tokens. If these proposals go ahead, the Council will be lose that £2.3 million and get just £1.2 million of bus passes in return."

"Currently Bus passes and Travel tokens are the responsibly of Basingstoke and Deane Council but, this will switch in April to Hampshire County Council."

"It is quite clear that the Conservatives running the County Council would prefer to provide the legal minimum bus pass for the whole of Hampshire. This would mean the end of travel tokens in Basingstoke and Deane."

"The effect will be considerable, Taxis and voluntary transport groups like Dial-a-Ride rely substantially on the income from travel tokens, as no doubt do quite a few bus routes. If travel tokens are simply withdrawn then these services will be under threat."

"Around 19,000 of our residents prefer to have travel tokens instead of bus passes so this is a big issue." (Bus passes are selected by around 13,000 residents)

"I believe that it is important for alternative provision to be put in place. Basingstoke and Deane needs to be able to keep hold of that £1.1 million to spend as it sees fit within the Borough."

"Put simply, if these proposals go ahead, the Council will lose £1.1 million, local residents will see public transport and other travel services cut and local Conservatives will be shown up as poor defenders of the interests of our Borough."

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