Bus pass failure

That's the question asked by pensioners queuing at the Town Hall on Tuesday when the national free bus pass scheme started.

Everyone over the age of 60 should have received a new bus pass allowing them to travel for free but this did not happen locally.

David Rogers of Warnham Gardens contacted the Observer to ask why Rother District Council failed to provide residents with new passes.

He said: "We know they should have been sent out today. The national bus pass which the government introduced last April in the budget should come into force from April 1 this year. But the passes haven't been sent out to residents in Bexhill.

"I don't feel very happy about this - it is the only concession we have had in recent years as pensioners and it is not available to us.

"People are queuing up at the Town Hall for them now - people much older than me are in the Town Hall asking where their bus passes are. They are confused."

David is concerned that he is to visit Nottingham with his wife and they will not be able to take advantage of free travel.

"Other councils have posted bus passes through to residents. Rother has had a year to do it but can't give any time when it is going to be available."

Rother District Council has apologised for any inconvenience experienced during the late issue of the new passes and puts the delay down to the distributor.

A spokesman said: "The company who are manufacturing and dispatching the passes for the Kent and Sussex Travel Schemes have not, at this time, been able to dispatch all the passes required and are continuing to work at full capacity to minimise delay.

"This is through no fault of the District Council."

Arrangements have been made with local bus operators to continue to accept 'old passes' until April 30 to allow for the receipt of the National Pass for all concession bus pass holders.

The new passes will be sent "directly" to all residents within Rother who currently have a Sussex Countycard expiring between March 2008 and February 2009.

RDC expects that almost 14,000 new national passes will be issued by the end of this week.