I FULLY agree with Janet Kitchen-Cooper's letter (Token gesture, January 21).

There was, in fact, one point she did not touch on, that there must be thousands of senior citizens who are not able to travel on buses because of their age or a disability they might have that stops them getting on or getting off a bus.

My wife and I use our tokens for one thing only, and that is to be able to take a taxi to York Hospital, as everybody knows there are no buses that would take you into the hospital grounds.

That then makes buses not an option for us, and many hundreds of people that need to get to hospital. Therefore a bus pass given to people like ourselves would be no use whatsoever.

As the council points out, it is looking for ways to balance its budget.

It points out that there has been a gradual decline in the use of tokens over the last few years, and that from April 2008 there will be a further transfer from token users to bus passes.

That may be the case for some, but not for everybody. Over the last nine months my wife and I have spent well over £90 on taxis to and from the hospital, and that is more than we get in tokens for the year.

So I am asking the council to look at other ways to reduce its spending, and not one at the expense of the disabled or the elderly.

Everybody does not own their own transport and, if as the council says, it is giving less tokens than ever before I feel they should be able to come up with funds to support the people that need these tokens.

Brian Hall, Reighton Drive, York.


* No matter how "attractive" the council's bus schemes are, or how they present them, I will be even more housebound, as I need a modified taxi to take me in my wheelchair in order to leave the house.

I am sure I am not the only person in York with this problem.

Diana Oxley, Rawcliffe, York.