Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of concessionary bus pass reimbursement rates on the viability of community transport services in West Dorset.

The Government recognises the important role that community transport services play in providing access to local services and opportunities, particularly in rural areas, including West Dorset.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) applies on eligible local bus services as defined in concessionary travel legislation. Certain community transport services may be eligible for the scheme where they meet the relevant statutory criteria. Under the ENCTS, operators are reimbursed by Travel Concession Authorities on a ‘no better, no worse off’ basis for concessionary travel, so that operators should be left financially neutral as a result of carrying concessionary pass holders.