OAP slams free bus travel rule

Chris Coxon, 74, of Thorpe Willoughby, uses the Arriva 402 bus a couple of times every week to travel to Crossgates, in east Leeds.

He catches the 8.59 bus to go shopping at the Arndale Centre.

As an old-age pensioner, he is entitled - with his local authority travelcard - to free bus travel any time after 9am.

Although the 402 comes just before this, he says the drivers usually allow him to use his card.

"They normally say go and sit down, and then by the time the bus sets off, the clock has turned to 9am and they punch it in," he said.

But one morning last week, the 402 arrived two minutes early, at 8.57am. And when Mr Coxon presented his travelcard, the driver told him it was not valid and demanded payment.

The pensioner said: "For the sake of one minute? If it was five or ten minutes before 9am then all right, but nine times out of ten the bus doesn't get there until after 9am anyway."

Mr Coxon did not have change to pay the fare and had to wait for a later bus. Rather than wait a full hour for the next 402, he got the 403 just before 9.30am.

But this meant he had to travel all the way into Leeds, before boarding a 402 back out to Crossgates.

He said: "They've had to pay for two bus trips rather than one, and I've had an hour added on to my journey.

"It's ridiculous - I can't believe the stupidity of it all for the sake of two minutes.

"One of these days, it'll be an elderly couple who've not got two bob to rub together, and they won't be able to afford it."

But Phil Stone, managing director for Arriva Yorkshire, said rules were rules.

"I was sorry to learn that Mr Coxon experienced some difficulties when trying to board the 402 in Thorpe Willoughby," he said.

"Our drivers must conform to the rules set by the local authority regarding concessionary travel.

"These state that free passes may be used after 9am. If senior citizens wish to board before this time, then they will need to pay full fare."