Information on Loughborough

Call for Oyster cards in Loughborough

Posted on 18/06/2008

oyster travel card

As officials slam Charnwood Borouggh Councils’s free bus pass procedures, Cllr Max Hunt (Labour councillor for Loughborough Garendon) has called for smart cards, like London’s famous Oyster cards to be introduced.

The Council’s auditors found the issue of passes to the recording of bus journeys not being followed: cards issued with birth date, and evidence of disability not checked for disability passes (eg Blue Badges).  Above all, it was unclear to the auditors how free fares data submitted by bus operators was checked prior to payment of over £1million/year.

Cllr Max Hunt, commented when the report came to the Borough’s Audit committee last night:  “We are transferring huge amounts of Government grant to the bus operators.  Public money should be tracked through the system, but neither bus companies, nor the Council are doing this.

“There seems to be a pact between the Council and bus companies that says “We won’t check, if you won’t”.  In truth, I think the only way to administer this is with a swipe card system like Oyster in London, and the sooner the better.

Many pensioners are still waiting for their cards; some may have been stolen in the post, we are told, because the feel like credit cards.

At the end of the day this is a highly valued free fare service to the Over 60’s and disabled people and its our duty to protect it.”