East Sussex County Council to explore veteran bus pass

East Sussex County Council is to explore providing free bus travel for veterans.

On Tuesday (July 14), East Sussex County Council unanimously backed calls to “investigate the implementation” of a free bus travel scheme for veterans, while also looking at other ways to “provide meaningful, lasting recognition of their service”.

The original form of the motion had been put forward by Green Party councillors Becca Horn and Shaun Dowling.

Cllr Horn noted how the county council had recently ceased a range of locally-funded bus fare discounts, following a reduction in national funding.

Cllr Horn said: “This motion seeks to redress that inequality. It seeks to offer something to those who would really benefit from free access to our buses, in order that they can attend their appointments, in order that they can increase their sociability … and feel more connected in their communities.

“It is not going to be for everyone. Of course some may have other bus services already, such as a senior pass or a disability pass.

“But for those significant few whom this will benefit, I think it is something that we as an authority who declare our support for our service personnel should absolutely support.”

Before going to the vote, Cllr Horn accepted an amendment put forward by Reform UK councillor Peter Morley, who is he council’s deputy leader and lead member for economy.

He said: “Whilst the provision of concessionary bus travel for veterans is certainly worthy of consideration, I believe that we should ask officers to look more widely at the support we can provide.

“If after a thorough investigation a veteran’s bus pass proves financially viable then it is something we should absolutely consider. However, if it does not we should not let that become the end of the conversation.

“Instead we should ask a broader question; what more can East Sussex County Council do to support veterans and their families?”

The amendment called on councillors to endorse a view that the scheme would need to be “both fair and financially sustainable, while also calling on officers to produce “a full financial assessment of the proposal”.

It also called on the council to explore how it “can go further for veterans, including enhancing concessionary travel support and considering additional measures that provide meaningful, lasting recognition of their service.”

Cllr Horn accepted a further amendment by Liberal Democrat councillor Sarah Osborne which called for consideration by the council’s Place Scrutiny Committee prior to any cabinet discussions.

The amended motion was agreed unanimously.

In a report, officers had noted how the majority of veterans living in the county already qualify for free off-peak bus travel, because they are either over the state pension age or have an eligible disability.

The report said a veterans’ bus scheme would result in around 5,798 additional people becoming eligible for free bus transport. The cost of this (depending on uptake) could be as much as £530,000, the report said.

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