Boost for WMPTE's workers' pass scheme
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• Several large firms are now participating in West Midland PTE's travel pass scheme designed to win workers back to buses.
The aim is to sell passes in bulk to firms to hand over to employees, in the same way as luncheon vouchers, either free or at a discount. Among the claimed advantages are that this helps firms by giving employees an added incentive to stay in their present job; however, the present highunemployment rate is not proving an incentive to employers to join the scheme.
"The .scheme is developing rather slowly and frankly we are a little bit disappointed," Mr F. A. Moffatt, director of operations, told CM. "But as a result of our latest campaign a greater interest is being obtained."
The passes cost £5.20 a quarter and enable the holder to travel at the equivalent of a child's fare. Firms can charge the costs of participating against tax as an overhead.
Within the West Midland PTE area developments have been happening in another travel scheme—that of concessionary fares for pensioners and the handicapped. Corporation officials at Walsall. faced with long queues of pensioners waiting to obtain their bus passes at the town hall. are aiming to streamline their method for re-issuing. A corporation spokesman said: "Each pass we buy from West Midland PTA costs £5 for a pensioner and £12 for a handicapped person. It was felt that a great many of these passes might never be used, so the committee decided to re-issue and ask pensioners to call for them."
A Walsall social services spokesman said that pensioners had had to produce pension books or birth certificates as proof of identity.
In Nuneaton the borough council is to issue pensioners with permits allowing concessions up to 4p at an estimated cost to the ratepayers of £27.000. Despite opposition from some councillors. Stratford -upon-Avon is next year to bring in concessionary half-fares for 3000 pensioners and disabled; £8903 has been allowed in the estimates for these costs.