Environment Audit CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Plymouth People First

1. Plymouth People First is a speaking up organisation that supports adults with a Learning Disability to self-advocate on different life issues. Transport, in particular bus usage, is an issue strongly felt and discussed by our members.

2. Plymouth City Council distributes free bus passes to many different community groups within our locality. People who are blind or over the age of 80 may travel for free on the buses from any time; adults with a learning disability have to wait until 9:30 in the morning to use theirs and cannot use it after 11pm.This has a serious effect on people wishing to access training or employment opportunities. Most employers want their staff to start at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning, not after 10am. Many of our members live off benefits and paying travel costs before 9:30 uses a lot of their weekly income.

3. The terms and conditions of the bus pass usage are set by the local authority. They have said changing the terms will cost them five million pounds. The Government set out in the white paper Valuing Employment Now (2010) aims to get people with learning disabilities into paid employment. Limiting the terms of when the pass can be used when other community groups have freer rein contradicts this.

4. Our local bus company, Plymouth Citybus, is also removing numerous services from around the city. This is affecting many of our members who cannot access the community after 5pm as that is when their last bus home runs. This impacts adults with a learning disability being seen as active citizens as they cannot go out at night or work until 5pm as they have no way of getting home independently.

5. For a short while Plymouth Citybus offered our users cheaper bus travel before 9:30 if they showed their bus pass but this was quickly rescinded. Plymouth People First self-advocates would like to see free bus passes made available to adults with a learning disability or bus companies offer reduced fares to particular groups that will enable more people to travel independently and access new life opportunities.

24 July 2012