Free travel pass just the ticket for jobless

Jan 28 2008

A SCHEME offering West Midland jobhunters free travel passes to help them back into work has won the backing of MP Steve McCabe.

Centro-WMPTA's Work-Wise initiative gives unemployed people up to £150-worth of free travel passes to help them get to and from interviews and their new job.

Mr McCabe met Work-Wise staff during a visit to Jobcentre Plus at Broad Street, in Birmingham city centre. The initiative has helped more than 4,200 unemployed people across the West Midlands since it was launched four years ago.

But it has been funded on a temporary basis from a number of different sources including Centro-WMPTA, local authorities in Birmingham, Solihull and Walsall, Advantage West Midlands and the Birmingham Local Strategic Partnership.

Now there are hopes of funding it permanently.

Mr McCabe (Lab, Hall Green) said: "Job seekers often find transport can be a significant barrier in their efforts to get back to work but WorkWise helps them overcome those hurdles.

"It is a big help to those who get work but would otherwise struggle with the cost of getting to and from that job, particularly if they have to wait a month or more for their first pay packet.

"WorkWise is a deserving scheme and a good example of partnership working and I will be meeting with Caroline Flint, the minister for employment, to discuss future funding."