ELDERLY and disabled people will be hit by planned changes to a bus service between York and the east coast, one passenger has claimed.

Eric Barlow, 56, of Lowfields in Staxton, uses the 843 Coastliner bus on Monday to Friday from his village to Scarborough. He said plans to stop the service picking up and dropping off in Staxton will make life extremely difficult for him and anyone visiting the village.

He is also angry that for the first time bus pass holders will be charged £3 during the day if they board the service anywhere west of Rillington, including in York.

Mr Barlow, who is disabled, said: “I object to these changes and intend to start an awareness campaign to all along this route who are ignorant at present of the “summer misery” plans Coastliner has deemed acceptable for specific tax paying residents.

“I understand a similar plan, with different rules, is to be imposed on the 840 Whitby route.

“I feel I am being denied access to this previously unrestricted route. I cannot buy a car and I cannot pay £15 for a taxi.”

Coastliner marketing director Nigel Eggleton said there were plans to change the 843 service between Rillington and Scarborough, and Thornton-le-Dale and Whitby, starting on May 26.

He said changes to the way North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) funded the company have meant a cut to Coastliner of about 40 per cent.

Mr Eggleton said: “We are aware that many senior citizens who are bus pass holders would be prepared to pay a fare, but legally we are prohibited from charging them on a local bus service, but we can charge on an express service that doesn’t stop for a distance of 15 miles.”

“That is why we are looking at converting this part of the Coastliner route into an express service to try and compensate for the cuts in local authority funding.”

Mr Eggleton said the plan was to charge a fare for the new route for three hours between 10am and 1pm every day and it would affect a handful of people who used the route currently.

Mr Barlow claimed it would affect anyone boarding the bus in York heading to the coast as well.

Mr Eggleton said: “It is possible the decision will be reversed if we have successful negotiations with NYCC.”