Former bus workers in York today welcomed top-level intervention in their fight to speed up pension payouts that are more than ten years overdue.

Thousands of former drivers, conductors and office staff nationwide - including dozens in York - have missed out on hundreds or even thousands of pounds from company pension schemes following the privatisation of National Bus.

Transport Minister Keith Hill yesterday urged the National Bus Pension Fund's trustees to speed up the payments.

He called on them to pay out the surplus from the company pension schemes that was taken from pensioners after privatisation.

Nick Morley, of Bramham Avenue, York, drove buses in and around the city for 32 years.

He has been campaigning for 13 years for the money he and his former colleagues are owed, but said it was already too late for some.

Seven of his workmates have died while waiting for their share.

He said: "Most of us are in our seventies now and could be enjoying life much more than we are now had we received what is due to us.

"And, of course, those who have died have missed out on what was rightfully theirs."

Mr Morley believes he could have been denied more than £80 a month because of delays in making the payments.

He added that he hoped the intervention of the Minister could bring the matter to a speedy conclusion.

Fifty thousand staff of the former National Bus Company won an out-of-court settlement worth £356 million.

The trustees are intending to make initial payments to 8,000 older pensioners in March and April.

But Mr Hill has written to the trustees stressing his deep concern about delays in making the payments to all the pensioners.

Hugh Bayley, York MP and Junior Social Security Minister, has also been urging the trustees to speed up the settlements.

He said: "The negotiations have been long and complex.

"But the York pensioners should never have lost their pension funds in the first place.

"They were robbed by privatisation and I know that John Prescott is anxious to see this matter resolved as soon as possible.

"The pensioners are getting older all the time and they need the money now."

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