Travel concession means extra cost
T● RANSPORT bosses in Halton are due to face big decisions later this year when the a Cheshire public transport concessionary travel contract expires opening the door for the borough to consider signing up for the Merseytravel scheme.
Following an exclusive interview with Merseytravel committee chairman Cllr Liam Robinson in the Weekly News, readers have written in to point out that despite closer integration between Halton and the Liverpool City Region (LCR), with distinctive black and yellow Merseytravel bus stops being installed around the towns, residents do not receive the same benefits as passengers living in the other five LCR districts, namely free bus, rail and ferry travel for over-60s.
Merseytravel has said Halton’s Cheshire concessionary travel scheme contract is due to expire this year.
A spokeswoman for the transport group said signing up to the city region deal could come with a cost to the council.
Regarding the lack of parity in benefits to passengers around the city region, David Mason, of Runcorn, writing to the Weekly News, asked: “If residents of Halton are not treated as equals I beg the question, what is the point?”
John Coleshill, of Runcorn, sent in a reply he said he received from Halton transport chief Cllr Stan Hill saying that joining the Merseytravel scheme would need a ‘massive uplift’ to council tax bills in Halton in order to pay the Merseytravel precept.
In the reply to Mr Coleshill, Cllr Hill is also reported to have said that ‘very few’ residents use Merseyrail trains as they do not enter Halton, and the same for Mersey ferries.
Mr Colehill has urged other residents to contact their elected representatives.
He said: “If you also feel like you’re a member of the club without getting any of the benefits let your councillors and MPs know about it.”
A AM Merseytravel l spokeswoman k said: “Halton is part of the Cheshire Concessionary Scheme and that contract runs until 2018.
“If Halton wants to become part of the Merseytravel Concessionary Travel Scheme when it ends, it’s a decision that they would need to take.
“We’ve been working to draw the benefits of the two schemes closer together but at the moment there would be financial implications to Halton joining the Merseytravel scheme.
“While the Merseytravel scheme has additional benefits, this is recognised in the relative cost of the two schemes.