I NOTE that, following a Government initiative, City of York Council is to introduce free bus passes for pensioners giving an entitlement to half fares after 9am, or travel tokens in lieu (February 3). This initiative was to be national minimum. In London pensioners have enjoyed free public transport at all times for some years and I am sure this is not about to be withdrawn.

The York proposal is a downgrading of the current concession. While the pass entitling the pensioner to travel for 37p a journey has to be paid for, this cost is virtually cancelled out by the tokens given in addition.

I am sure most users will, even at half fare, pay considerably more per journey with the added problem that those before 9am are not covered. Many people have hospital appointments around this time and their journeys will no longer be covered.

If the council cannot afford the present concessions for pensioners they should have the honesty to say so. Trumpeting so-called improvements is dishonest and demonstrates yet again a total lack of integrity.

J F Foulis,

Ashbourne Place, York.

Updated: 12:26 Monday, February 12, 2001