Question reference: S5W-06183
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 16 January 2017
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 January 2017
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the National Entitlement Card not being accepted on the Edinburgh Trams service, and what discussions it has had or plans with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding this.
Answer
Travel concessions on the Edinburgh trams are a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council.
Bus travel concessions for older and disabled people are provided by the Scottish Government through the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People (NCTS). Travel concessions on other modes of transport are at the discretion of local authorities. The conditions and extent of such schemes are for local authorities to determine.
The Scottish Government held discussions with City of Edinburgh Council in early 2013, when it confirmed that the NCTS would not be extended to include Edinburgh trams on the basis that this would have impacted on the money available to support bus services, including concessionary bus travel across Scotland. The City of Edinburgh Council subsequently decided to provide concessions on Edinburgh trams for eligible Edinburgh residents holding a National Entitlement Card.