Smart Pass Equality Campaign stages a ‘Half Fare Unfair’ protest at Derry depot

Members of Smart Pass Equality Campaign (SPEC) staged a ‘Half Fare Unfair’ protest outside the Translink bus depot in Derry city centre.

The event on Tuesday was one of three organised by SPEC, which also protested at Bangor train/bus station and Belfast Grand Central Station.

Speaking to The Derry News, co-organiser Brian Murray said SPEC was established in 2016, to get the half fare [concession] which some people with disabilities have to pay on public transport in the North, abolished. 

He added: “The purpose of today’s rally is to highlight the difference in the half fare [concession] and the full fare. The half fare is unfair and we want it upgraded to free travel, as is the case in England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland”.

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Speaking at the ‘Half Fare Unfair’ protest, Nuala Crilly said when the campaign to get the half fare concessionary pass upgraded began nine years ago it was supported by four of the North’s councils.

“We also had full support from all [political] parties and we spoke with all of the MLAs and we met with various DfI (Department for Infrastructure) ministers. Some took us onboard and some didn’t,” said Ms Crilly.

“In February 2022, we had that many meetings with the then Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon, she realised the concessionary travel fares scheme was illogical and not fit for purpose. She was going to ringfence the money to upgrade the pass to full fare concessionary travel passes in the budget. But we all know the Assembly fell in February 2022, so that didn’t happen,” she added. “That was really, really disappointing.  

“In the interim period, we had people in Belfast, including Aaron Savage, and the ‘Half Fare Unfair’ campaign, who have been campaigning and have met the current Minister for Infrastructure, as have we. We have now got a broad-based campaign across the whole of the North to drive this forward. 

“The cost of the half fare concessionary fare travel pass we were given for 2024 / 2025 was £1,660,486.26p. That also included a cost for the half fare category on the glider which are actually free. 

“So, the way the costings for the concessionary travel pass take place is a little bit ridiculous and doesn’t reflect the reality of the situation. There is an assumption that everybody using the half fare concessionary pass would be taking that bus journey anyway and that is not true. Some people travel because they can get the half fare and for a lot of people with disabilities are already in dire financial straits, so this is a means of getting out and about, enhancing social well-being and welfare.

“That is not costed into the economics of the half fare pass. We would be calling that in the next monitoring round, the monies are ringfenced to upgrade this. In terms of equality and inclusion, this is really, really important,” said Ms Crilly.

Turning to what she described as the “climate crisis”, Ms Crilly said it was not to the fore in 2016 when the SPEC started.

She added: “But people now park at Moneymore and they park at Drumahoe and if they have a concessionary travel pass, they use that to get up to Belfast to get to work and that is the way it should be. We need to get cars off the road.”

Addressing the ‘Half Fare Unfair’ rally, Tony O’Reilly representing Northwest Forum of People with Disabilities and Disabled People Against Cuts said when the consultation was carried out on the concessionary fares, the response from the Equality and Human Rights Commission argued, why would you say some disabled people are entitled to a free pass, while others are entitled to only the half fare concession, based on how they acquired their disability.

He added: “We didn’t understand the logic of that. We didn’t understand the differential treatment framework they were applying. We said this was inconsistent with equality law and international human rights.

“When we talk about disabled people, disabled people over the last 25 years have experienced cuts that you wouldn’t believe. We have experienced cuts to our benefits, our Universal Credit, PIP, and everything under the sun. 

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“Yes, we had some victories over the summer. We were able to retain some measure of financial support to PIP and Universal Credit to existing claimants but these measures do not apply to new claimants, to young people, to people reapplying for PIP under the three year and five year reviews. 

“What we are asking for is free passes, the same as other disabled people regardless of the circumstances of how they acquired their disability. We are simply asking for equality,” said Mr O’Reilly.

Translink driver and chairperson of Derry Trades Union Council, Damian Doherty said his organisation was fully backing SPEC.

“It is a vitally important campaign. It is a matter of equality and what this means to the people it would help is priceless.”