Concern as “vital lifeline” for pensioners set to be restricted

PENSIONERS in Melksham are concerned that new bus pass restrictions will leave more people feeling isolated. 

As of the 1st April,  pensioners and disabled people who are in receipt of a bus pass will no longer be able to use it to travel before 9.30am.

Currently they are able to use their pass on any bus at any time of day. However, Wiltshire Council will introduce the new restriction which means that free travel will be available after 9.30am only.

Council chiefs are making the decision to restrict the service which benefits 86,000 pensioners and disabled people countywide as they say they cannot afford the £4.6million bill for their free bus passes, and that everyone should have to pay to travel in the mornings from now on.

The decision to change the service has led to some Melksham bus pass holders saying it will severely impact their quality of life and restrict a “vital lifeline” for many.

Peter  Incledon a bus user from Melksham said, “I think it is a huge mistake to not allow pensioners and disabled people to use the bus when they like. I use the bus almost everyday and I know that using at that time in the morning is vital for many people who need to make doctors or hospital appointments. Here in Melksham if you call the doctors surgery in the morning you have no chance of a same-day appointment, you have to go to the surgery itself before 8.30am so the changes will have a massive impact.

“For many pensioners taking their grandchildren to school, it would become an issue too and I don’t see the benefit.”

Chris Duignan another regular user of buses agreed saying, “The bus network is vital for many people in Wiltshire. The county is so vast and rural that having use of a bus is so important. If the service is restricted I know many pensioners will become secluded and it will affect them massively.

“I use busses early in the morning and it is not like they are busy, so I don’t see the issue with letting pensioners and disabled people use them.”

Wiltshire Council were invited to comment but hadn’t responded at the time of going to print.

The change follows a consultation by Wiltshire Council about the way the bus service should be run. The council claims the change might save them £300,000 a year.