Norman Baker MP has strongly urged East Sussex County Council to withdraw plans to charge for use of buses provided by the East Sussex Disability Association to enable disabled and housebound residents to benefit from the occasional trip out.
The three buses were provided by ESDA and were handed over on the basis that their use would be free to disabled people, an agreement that is now being rescinded.
Under the plans brought forward by the Conservative-controlled council, a charge of £150 will be made for each bus for local trips, rising to £225 for trips outside the county.
In a letter to MP Norman Baker, the DELTA disability group say: "This will mean that people like ourselves will have to get the money from somewhere to get all our members on outings... This is the only time some DELTA members get out, most members are unemployed because of disability and therefore on very limited budgets... We will all be stuck in our homes and life will be intolerable for DELTA members.."
Norman Baker says: "I understand of course both the financial pressures on the county council, and their wish to keep council tax down. But applying a hammerblow to the disabled is not the way to act. It is a heartless proposal. I call on the Conservatives who run the council to withdraw this cut, at least until an alternative funding stream has been identified."
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Norman Baker,
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East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
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