Call for States to pay £15 fee for ‘free’ bus passes

Saturday 18 February 2017

If disabled Islanders are going to have to pay a £15 ‘application’ fee for ‘free’ bus passes then the States should stump up the money, according to St Brelade Deputy Montfort Tadier.

He’s now brought a proposition to the States, arguing the fee is unjustified.

For a start he says the cost is for ‘applying’ for the pass, and wonders whether applicants would get their money back if they don’t qualify.

Secondly he argues why should disabled people pay the fee when OAPs quite rightly don’t have to, and when there is no ‘application’ fee for the standard AvanchiCard.

Thirdly he claims the additional paperwork isn’t so great as to justify a fee.

And finally he worries the fee might frighten many applicants off and be a disincentive.

It’s not clear who is getting the £15. But in his proposition Deputy Tadier says if it is Liberty Bus, and the minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Eddie Noel, can’t use his ‘diplomatic skills’ to get them to drop the fee, then his department should find the money. Again it’s not clear how much this would cost the department.