Transport services proposals agreed by Cabinet Resources Committee (Barnet Council email)

This letter was sent to carers strategy board members by Barnet Council.

From the link within the email, it appears that over half of the people who responded to the survey believe these changes will have a negative impact on people living with disabilities. That really says it all.

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From: Prince, Louanna
Sent: 13 November 2012 14:27
To: Prince, Louanna
Subject: Transport services proposals agreed by Cabinet Resources Committee

Sent on behalf of Dawn Rowe

To Carers Strategy Partnership Board Members

Dear Members,

Thank you for taking part earlier this year in the consultation on the council’s proposals to modernise transport services. We acknowledge that there was a diversity of opinion about some of these proposals, and we are grateful to all those who took the time to share their views.

We are writing to inform you that these proposals and the report on the findings from the consultation have now been considered by Barnet Council’s Cabinet Resources Committee, and the proposals have been agreed.

The changes agreed by the committee on 7 November are intended to make sure money is spent in the fairest way possible and to make it simpler for people to get the right support for their needs.

The committee agreed in principle to the following five proposals:

• To make changes to the council’s policy on eligibility for transport services from April next year to make sure those most in need receive the support they require.

• To provide independent travel training to support those who are able, to safely use public transport.

• That from January 2013, a £10 charge be introduced for Blue Badge applications. Blue Badges are renewed once every three years making the charge equivalent to just over six pence a week. It currently costs the council around £20 to process each application. No fee will be payable for an unsuccessful application.

• To change who can have and use designated disabled parking bays to make sure that those who have successfully applied for a bay outside their home get to use it.

• To withdraw the council’s Travel Voucher Scheme from April next year in favour of the similar, and more widely used, Taxicard scheme already being run by London Councils. The schemes are designed to provide support to residents unable to use public transport by helping cover the cost of taxi journeys. Currently the council’s Travel Voucher Scheme is only used by 351 residents in comparison to almost 4,000 people in Barnet using the Taxicard scheme. The council will assist residents in applying for the Taxicard scheme.

Full details of the findings from the consultation and the report which went to the Cabinet Resources Committee can be found on the council’s website.

The next step will be for an implementation plan to be put together for introducing these changes. Anyone who is directly affected by these proposals will be informed directly.  

If you have any questions, please email adultsocialcare@barnet.gov.uk.  

Best wishes,

Dawn

Dawn Rowe

Communications Manager

Adult Social Care and Health

London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park , Oakleigh Road South , London N11 1NP

Tel: 020 8359 ****

Mobile: 07748 ******

Fax: 0870 889 ******

Barnet Online: www.barnet.gov.uk

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P please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?