Hucknall Labour urging everyone to back campaign against cutting conessionary tram travel

Labour members joined union members and members of the public in a protest at Hucknall tram stop to raise awareness of the proposals and encourage people to sign the petition at change.org/p/save-concessionary-tram-travel-in-nottinghamshire against any attempts to cut concessionary travel.

People were also also urged to take part in Nottinghamshire Council’s ongoing online public consultation at nottinghamshire.gov.uk/transport/public-transport/concessionary-travel/tram-concessionary-pass-consultation on whether or not to end the scheme, which costs £900,000 per year.

Currently, people over the age of 65 or who have disabilities get free tram travel between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and bank holidays.

Options the council is considering include half-fare payments, free travel for only disabled concessionary pass holders and their companions, and no changes.

John Wilkinson, of Hucknall Labour, said: “This is a quite ludicrous attempt to money.

"The clear benefit of the travel pass is in its title – it allows people to travel and that travel is for a purpose which is usually shopping.

"So apart from the social side of allowing people to meet other people or get to places like the QMC, it is also uneccessary and unfair and will affect a huge number of people.

"As the Labour group, all we can do, because we have no county councillors, is try and get as many people as possible to take part in consultation and sign the petition.”

"The consultation is open until January 7 and we absolutely don’t want any option other than ‘no change’."

Labour members will also be at Hucknall Market on Friday, Janaury 5 giving a last push to get people to either sign petitions or take part in the online consultation before it closes that weekend.

Coun Neil Clarke (Con), cabinet member for transport and environment at the county council, previously said: “As a Travel Concession Authority we have a duty to provide free travel on local bus services for holders of a valid English national concessionary travel pass.

“Due to the current cost of the tram concessionary offer, we want to seek the views of residents and pass holders to make sure that our future offer best suits their needs.”