PENSIONERS may be forced to launch a legal revolt to get the free bus travel they are entitled to.

That is the advice from Southampton Pensioners' Forum (SPF) who say there has been great confusion about the late arrival of the new passes for free countrywide travel.

It comes after the Daily Echo revealed how pensioner Brenda Parkinson was thrown off a Wilts and Dorset bus because she did not have a new pass.

SPF secretary Don Harper said: "I am advising people who are told they can't use their old passes to take the driver's name and pay the fare then appeal to the small claims court to get the money back.

"We were told that from April 1 we would be able to travel around the country with our passes and that is what we are entitled to."

Mr Harper said he was giving the advice to people who contacted him over the phone and would be reiterating it at the group's meeting on April 13.

Sandra Smith, chief officer of Age Concern Southampton, said: "Many pensioners have been left feeling embarrassed and humiliated after being turned away from the bus. The council has let down pensioners and given them very confusing information."

Southampton pensioners awaiting new passes can still use their old ones but only on direct journeys starting or finishing in the city. Those elsewhere in the county can change buses throughout Hampshire with their old passes.

Wilts and Dorset commercial manager Matt Callow said Southampton City Council had asked the company to allow pensioners to use their expired passes but only on routes that had previously been allowed.

He said: "The local authority have asked us to honour the old passes and we have said we will. Unfortunately this doesn't include travel around the country like the new passes will. This is down to the local authority."

Cllr Jill Baston said the delay in getting new passes out was caused because of incompatibility with technology used by the Government and the council.

She said: "We're sorry to hear that some people are experiencing disappointment now that the new concessionary scheme is in operation. I don't feel that it's fair to blame the council."

She added that pensioners who want to travel to a destination that requires them to change buses outside Southampton can get temporary full passes from the Civic Centre.