A government minister has been accused of ducking the issue of concessionary fares for pensioners on cross-Solent ferries, by Island MP Andrew Turner. He is putting pressure on transport minister Gillian Merron to respond to points raised on his behalf during a debate on the Concessionary Bus Travel Bill in the House of Commons.

Mr Turner said this week:
“The minister did not respond to the suggestion that concessionary fares should also include other forms of public transport other than buses. I would like a reply and so I am writing to her for one.”

Mr Turner has been campaigning for concessionary ferry fares, pressing Ministers and tabling parliamentary questions on the subject.

During the Commons debate, which Mr Turner was unable to attend as he is still recovering from a stroke, his colleague Stephen Hammond, who represents Wimbledon, told the minister he knew Mr Turner was lobbying for ferries to be included in the bill.
“The ferry service is used in the same way as the bus service,” said Mr Hammond who asked the government to review the issue after one year of operation.
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As well as concessions for pensioners, Mr Turner is working on a submission to the Office of Fair Trading to look into ferry fares generally.


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Contact : Andrew Turner’s office 01983 530808