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Fife Free Press
March 14, 2007
COUNCIL GEARS UP TO AXE TAXI VOUCHER SCHEME
TAXI vouchers will be scrapped for elderly and disabled people in another Fife Council budget cut.
TAXI vouchers will be scrapped for elderly and disabled people in another Fife Council budget cut.
Scheme users will see their allocation halved to 40 vouchers at the end of this month, then phased out completely over the next three years.
The scheme _ which costs Fife Council £535,000 a year to run _ is likely to be scrapped earlier in Levenmouth and Kirkcaldy.
Dr Bob McLellan, head of Fife Council's transportation services, confirmed plans to invest approximately £1.3 million into Ring & Ride bus services instead.
He said: "At the moment we are trying to run two schemes, therefore what we are doing is logical. Other councils, such as Edinburgh, are looking to withdraw taxi card schemes too."
The taxi scheme gives a £2 discount per fare and people with mobility problems were given 160 vouchers in years past. The Ring & Ride Service _ which also offers door-to-door transport _ is free but must be booked 24 hours in advance.
It also only operates from 8.40 a.m. to 10 p.m. at night and some mornings starts later, as the bus is used to transport people with special needs to schools. However, Dr McLellan said: "Most people don't want to go on the Ring & Ride at that time in the morning."
He added: "People are not just using the Ring & Ride for shopping but also for hospital and doctors appointments, to meet friends, etc. "Most are also prepared to be flexible to accommodate its relative restrictions but you could argue it offers significant advantages over a £2 reduction in fares.
"Yes, as far as taxis go, they are available 24/7, but the Ring & Ride provides a service seven days per week. "For some people, that could actually mean free transport every day of the year."
Fife Council plans to roll out and develop the Ring & Ride Service across Fife, with Glenrothes next on the list. Until then, people in North East Fife will continue to be given a full allocation of taxi vouchers.
Levenmouth taxi operator Pete Meldrum reacted angrily to the news, saying it would represent a loss of over £50,000 per annum to his firm.
He argued too that the council had failed to consult people properly before forging ahead with the change, least of all taxi firms. He added: "We have calculated that we carried out 13,000 voucher journeys last year and that's just one Levenmouth firm.
"I reckon in this area it's got to be 80,000 journeys in total." He added 24-hour notice would be useless for someone in an emergency situation.
Care in the Community spokesman and Methil councillor Irene Connelly sought assurances from the council that future problems with Ring & Ride would be heeded.
She told the Mail: "Loneliness is a terrible thing for people if they cannot get out and about but I have been told regular reports will go to committee on the success _ or otherwise _ of this scheme, and it will be up to the new administration to act on that.
"However, at the moment, people have the best of both worlds. Taxi vouchers for emergencies and a free bus service if they plan ahead."
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