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Ministerial snub for voters and Echo readers
By Echo Reporter
Comment
WHY won't they talk to us?

That is what the Daily Echo is asking today after the Department for Transport refused to let us discuss our petition to save free countywide bus travel for pensioners with any minister.

More than 10,000 Daily Echo readers signed it, while politicians from across the political divide and charities for the elderly gave it their unqualified support.

The petition demands action from the Secretary of State for Transport, Douglas Alex-ander, to ensure a legal challenge by bus companies over the way free travel is funded does not endanger the scheme.

Our campaign was even hailed by the Prime Minister as "a very fine example of everything that is best about local media".

The Daily Echo hoped to discuss the concerns raised during our coverage of the issue with Mr Alexander when we travelled to London yesterday to hand over the signatures.

Having been told that would not be possible, it was suggested a meeting could be arranged with Gillian Merron, a junior minister with responsibility for buses, before then being told this too was impossible.

I would have thought that the least a transport minister could do was come down – it’s a pretty poor show.”
MP Chris Huhne

So we asked if Stephen Ladyman, Minister of State for Transport, or the department's other junior minister, Tom Harris, could meet us.

But, a week after Tony Blair personally e-mailed 1.8 million people who signed a petition about another transport issue, our requests for ministerial time fell on deaf ears.

Having been told there was no possibility of meeting any elected official, we instead went to the capital to meet a cross-party delegation of our local MPs.

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne, Southampton Test's Alan Whitehead, New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne, Romsey MP Sandra Gidley and Winchester's Mark Oaten all found time to meet us.

But rather than being able to discuss the campaign with the responsible Government member, we were forced to hand our 10,000-signature petition to a civil servant at the DfT's headquarters.

The refusal to allow a ministerial audience has drawn criticism from many of those backing our campaign.

Mr Huhne said: "I'm delighted the Daily Echo has run such a strong campaign, but I'm sorry to say the Secretary of State wasn't available to see us, nor was any junior minister or senior official.

"I would have thought that the least a transport minister could do was come down - it's a pretty poor show."

Mrs Gidley said: "It's very disappointing that ministers weren't available to accept the petition, but I suspect they haven't heard the last of this."

Director of Age Concern Hampshire, Chris Perry, said it showed a very poor attitude towards what for many people is an important subject.

"It's a very real issue that the Government is aware of and trying to legislate on," he said.

"You'd think that the minister could find time to receive such a significant petition. If he can't find ten minutes for 10,000 signatures, that's not very good."

A DfT spokesman said it was normal practice for petitions to be received in this way, as it is impractical for ministers to be "up and down all day" to accept them all in person.

"It's purely operational - we're certainly not trying to avoid any particular petition," he said.

He added that the petition would now be passed to a minister for their consideration.

9:28am today

You're probably right. But since ALL the major parties have virtually the SAME "must do, mustn't do" lists, will it make any difference ?

For council/housing association places, look at the thatcher years.
All are going for road pricing (except the greens who are going for private transport obliteration) (and lorries as well)

Pick any one from three.
Oh, and remember: politicians lie.

Perhaps one of the major parties might smell the wind.

But then again "Oh, and remember: politicians lie" - oh no they don't -they just are "ecinomical "with the truth