BEWARE, those who would like to believe Councillor Jeremy Moulton's depiction of the Conservatives as a kindly group of benefactors wanting to bestow free bus passes across Hampshire and council tax discounts on Southampton pensioners, only to be prevented by the Scrooges from the other parties (Letters, September 3).
Cllr Moulton left out certain awkward facts. Council tax discounts for pensioners will mean loss of benefits.
Another thing he didn't mention was that someone has to pay for the free bus travel, and pensioners would have had to help pay through council tax. The bus companies have to consent as well, with due notice, and given the problems they've had with the Hampshire fare pass, it's next to impossible that we'd have now had a scheme up and running, as Cllr Moulton asserts.
Next April, it's the Government that brings in the countrywide free bus pass, announced in the 2006 Budget, so no thanks to the Conservative council for that, either. They're just free ride frauds.
COUNCILLOR JILL BASTON, Shadow Cabinet member for environment and transport, Liberal Democrat group, Southampton City Council.
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