Concessionary bus fares for older people in Scotland - are they achieving their objectives?

摘要

The paper has reviewed three sources of data on behaviour change and traveller attitudes resulting from the introduction of the free concession. The smaller dataset indicated an increase in quality of life and reduction in social exclusion amongst the poorer passholders, as well as a general increase in bus use and especially changing between buses by all passholders. The conclusion from the larger dataset is that the principle impact of the free concession has been to stimulate bus use (and possibly some mode shift from car) amongst the mobile younger car-owning elderly, with little impact on poorer passholders. Thus the evidence to suggest that the free concession has reduced social exclusion amongst those passholders most at risk of being socially excluded is limited.