Eastbourne Trades Council: Defend Concessionary Coach Travel

Friday 7 October 2011

Defend Concessionary Coach Travel

At the Comprehensive Spending Review the Government announced its intention to withdraw the Coach Concessionary Travel scheme from the end of October this year. (The equivalent scheme in Scotland - which provides free, not half price coach travel, will remain.) The scheme provides half price coach travel for disabled people and those over 60 within England and Wales.

Trade Unionists are concerned that the extra cost now involved in coach travel will deter people from travelling. The reduction in passengers could trigger the removal of local coach services and the opportunity to travel from a small community and visit friends / family will be removed.

TSSA delegate to Eastbourne Trades Council, Michael Litchfield has been lobbying Stephen Lloyd MP, urging him to encourage the Department of Transport to work with the coach industry to fully understand and reduce the impact the removal of the Coach Concessionary Travel scheme will have on the elderly, disabled and small communities. Local Trade Unionists are encouraged to add their voices to the campaign. You can download a model letter by clicking here.

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Trades Councils in the Community

Your union branch speaks up for your members and potentialmembers in the workplace. Whether it’s pay, rights at work, healthand safety or lifelong learning, your branch exists to get a better dealfor your members.

Unions also need to raise their voice in the world beyond the workplace when:
• the public services delivered and used by union members come under threat
• racists and fascists try to divide local communities
• local authorities seek to reduce democratic control of education or housing.

That’s where your local trades union council comes in. Trades councils bringtogether local union branches to campaign across a community on issuesthat matter to working people.

Facing closure?: Your trades council can provide practical support and solidarity.
Tackling racism? Your trades council can help unite local people against the haters.
Privatisation problems? Your trades council can help campaign for public ownership and democratic control.

Eastbourne Trades Council represents workers in public and private sector employment across the Borough of Eastbourne and the parish of Willingdon and Jevington.