I WRITE in response to Lee Whitbread's letter about Conservative policy on free bus passes for seniors (August 28).

In May Southampton Conservatives fought the city council elections on our policy of free bus travel across Hampshire for Southampton seniors. We also said that we would introduce a pensioner council tax discount for households where all occupants are 65 or over.

In our opposition budget proposals we showed how we would pay for both of these.

Labour also proposed free Hampshire bus travel for seniors. They did not show how they would pay for it.

Had a Conservative budget been passed we would now have the free Hampshire travel and the pensioner discount. The other parties voted against our proposals and as a consequence money was not allocated to pay for our policies.

Now the Conservatives are running the city council we hope that our budget will be implemented and next April we will introduce both a pensioner discount and free nationwide bus travel for seniors.

We very much hope that the other political parties will support us.

COUNCILLOR JEREMY MOULTON, Cabinet member for resources, Southampton City Council.