WENDY ALEXANDER MSP: LABOUR VICTORY FOR DISABLED BUS PASSENGERS

Disabled people from Renfrewshire on low rate Disability Living Allowance (DLA) are a step closer to getting free bus travel after Scottish Labour put pressure on the SNP government to back their campaign.

Paisley North MSP Wendy Alexander has been calling for those on low rate DLA to be entitled to the Concessionary Fare Travel Scheme to improve social inclusion. Wendy says it is deeply unfair to exclude this group from the scheme.

Following a review the SNP announced earlier this year that the scheme would not be extended due to the cost, but after a debate in the Scottish Parliament this week (Thursday 10 December) Labour forced the government to back down. Labour will now use the forthcoming Budget to ensure that SNP Ministers deliver this scheme.

Wendy Alexander MSP said:

“Free bus travel will greatly improve disabled people’s quality of life and it is deeply unfair that people in Renfrewshire who are living on low rate Disability Living Allowance are excluded from the scheme. The government now has a chance to put this right.

“When it emerged that people with a local concessionary pass would no longer be entitled to the national scheme we campaigned for the government to sort this out and now it seems they are finally listening.”