We have a disability, we are employed - why can't we use our travelcards to get to work?

The Department for Transport currently has legislation in place for a free off-peak travel scheme for older people and people with disabilities. It is not a right, it is a privilege and I'm sure I speak for all benefactors when I say how privileged we are to be supported. However, I am not one of these people.

The basis for such a scheme allows people affected by age or disability to travel on local buses during off-peak hours and also across the country. However, what if you have a disability, are unable to drive but still able to work? You will need to pay for your fares during peak times.

Now call me ungrateful but I think this is a tad discriminatory. I'm led to believe that it comes down to your local authority to subsidise the bus company for such a scheme and it seems to me that disabled workers, who pay tax, national insurance and council tax are being excluded from the scheme because they travel to work during peak times.

My employment circumstances which are regular Monday to Friday hours, prevent me from using my bus pass. I have been told by my local council, DfT etc that I can use the travelcart on my way home - after I have paid to get to work. This is erroneous. It is better value to purchase weekly or monthly bus tickets which makes the concessionary scheme completely useless for people in my situation. If you do not have to leave for work until after 9.30am then nobody would have any complaints. But this is the real world and I'm afraid this situation has been left out of the planning processing.

Are you affected by this? Are you still paying for your bus fares despite qualifying for the scheme?

If so, sign this petition. I plan to take this to my local council and in turn to DfT to have this addressed

In Scotland, they use exactly the same scheme - free off-peak bus travel for older people and people with disabilities. However if you have a disability and are employed you will be provided with a travelcard that allows you to travel at peak periods because of your circumstances.

Sounds like a great scheme and forward thinking by Scotland. I hear they can also use it for discount on trains and underground as well. I've also heard there is a simlar scheme in London.

Why can't we have this elsewhere in England? It is discrimination against disabled workers. Surely it is in the Government's best interest to help people with disabilities to get to work rather than sitting at home not working. Some people cannot work, some people can, that much I understand. But I can work and the scheme is of no benefit to me. Even when my local authority made the bus pass available for use at 9am instead of 9.30am, it is still no use. I can't drive because of my disability either so this is not a privelidge
for me at all.

It is understandable that those who do not travel to places of work are a prioity for bus companies during peak times and that concessions are steered toward travelling during off-peak times but people such as myself who need to travel to work during rush hour and before would like to be considered as well, not discriminated.

Sign the petition if you or someone you know is affected by this or even if you wish to lend your support to people affected by this.