The bus pass age should be reduced to 60 in Congleton, with benefits including sustaining routes and to combat isolation among older people, a councillor has said.

Cllr Laura Jeuda (Macclesfield, Labour) also suggested providing free permits for younger people to get them out of cars and help the council's green agenda.

"Can we find funding for the bus passes?" she asked at Thursday's meeting of Cheshire East's highways and transport committee.

Currently the age for bus passes in Congleton is 66. But it has been suggested that bringing forward the free transport card before pension age could help solve some of our area's problems.

With both an ageing population and the need to reduce carbon emissions in our area, perhaps Cllr Jeuda's idea may end up becoming reality.

Committee chair Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Ind) said it was a question of priorities.

"You can always increase one area of the budget but you have to understand that, in doing so, there will be an equal and opposite reduction to another part of the budget," said Cllr Browne.

"I'm sure what you suggested will be supported, but where does the axe fall that enables it to be paid for?"

He asked Cllr Jeuda if she had any suggestions as to how it could be funded.

The Macclesfield councillor replied: "Other people have mentioned the impact of services on other services too.

"I'm thinking about old people who used to be able to access the public transport with a bus pass. Not all 60 odd year olds are as fit as they could be or even have their own car so I would suggest, by giving people the opportunity to travel by bus, we're actually cutting down the isolation amongst older people which will impact on adult social care."

She added: "I do believe there is some funding from government and, that may only be for a year I suspect, but I think it's something that we should be considering. If we've got a green agenda, we need to look at green ways of working within the authority."

It is worth mentioning that some Congleton youngsters already get free buses to schools and nearby Macclesfield College, if they live far away.

However, those of driving age and older could also be included in the Macclesfield South councillors idea, to increase bus use.

Getting less gas-guzzling cars on the road is better for the environment as it improves air quality with less exhausts.

According to figures released by the council last summer, on average, a resident in Cheshire East makes just 13 trips per year by bus.

This is one of the lowest bus usage rates in the country, so even if Jeuda's comments go nowhere, there may be potential for something similar to come into place in the future, to help combat our changing climate.

See also: GALLERY: Take a trip down memory lane, with the history of buses in Congleton.

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