Free tram travel

Mr BOB Taylor (Letters, 12 March) has an advantage over local councillors if he has the details of any concessionary scheme being proposed for the trams.

My understanding of the situation is that the government and Transport Scotland understand that Edinburgh will fund concessionary travel on the trams but that there are no details on how this would work.

We do not know if a separate concessionary card would be required; if a new card is required who would qualify for one and whether it would be restricted to Edinburgh residents over a qualifying age or more widely available.

What is apparent is that the Scottish Government has reneged on the understanding it had with the council regarding the funding of concessionary fares and on which the business case was founded.

It also appears that the current council administration has saddled Edinburgh with a large annual bill for which there is no budget.

(Cllr) Joanna Mowat

City Chambers

Edinburgh

Bob Taylor asks: “Should a national concessionary scheme for the over 60s apply to travel on the Edinburgh trams when they are fully operational?” He urges that it “should apply to all Scottish citizens… that would allow the city to compete (for tourists, conferences, inward investment) on the international stage”.

There is a precedent in Greater Manchester where 
free tram travel is restricted to local residents. Why should 
Edinburgh be any different?

Martin D Stern

Salford