Free bus travel to GP blow for OAPs

Pensioners in the Black Country who need early GP appointments have been told they will have to keep paying for bus travel if they want to leave before 9.30am.

After a six-month study, transport authority Centro has decided not to extend the free bus travel scheme for people in the over-60s who want to see a doctor first thing in the morning. The report was today criticised as a "soft-soaping" response while a pensioner group branded it "disappointing". The decision means anyone with a free bus pass must still pay the full adult fare during peak times.

Councillors on the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority asked Centro to look into the extension in the spring, around the time new passes were introduced offering pensioners free off-peak travel on any local bus service in England.

They said they had been approached by elderly people who complained of the "financial burden" if they needed to see doctors before the start of concessionary travel.

But a report issued today by Centro's bus and highways director Stephen Rhodes has recommended leaving the concessionary passes as they are because hospitals offer a "choose and book" service to allow pensioners to arrange appointments after 9.30am.

Instead he recommends working with health trusts to promote a scheme where those on benefits can claim back their transport costs from the NHS.

He said: "It is very difficult to make an accurate assessment of the costs of such an enhancement as neither the NHS trusts nor transport operators are able to provide any data relating to elderly or disabled pre-9.30am patronage."

Councillor Judith Rowley, who represents Wolverhampton on Centro's panel, said: "It does seem the request has been given a soft-soaping.

"If you can't use the bus before 9.30am then that means you can't arrange an appointment before 10am, especially if you live in Penn or Blakenhall and need to catch two buses to get to New Cross Hospital."

Retired police chief John Mellor, aged 79, of Graiseley, is president of the Wolverhampton National Pensioners Convention. He said: "It is very disappointing. We have been asking for the start time to be brought back for many years."