ONCE again, the council has made a decision that will affect the travel plans of pensioners and disabled people.

First York is to put a charge of 50p on each person boarding at any Park&Ride site.

When we, as local residents living near to one of the Park&Ride sites, queried this decision with our parish council, we were told that it was to cover the cost in relation to the wear and tear when parking cars on the site.

When we asked how that would relate to those pensioners or disabled people who did not have cars to park but walked there to catch the buses, they had no answer.

As for the £250,000 (The Press, June 18) stated was going to be raised and is supposed to be revenue for the council, if this is true then it will be interesting to know what the council plans to do with it. I always understood any money raised by First York went into their own coffers.

Dee Boyle, Howard Link, Rawcliffe, York.

• OVER the past week there has been a number of comments about the introduction of a 50p fare on the Park&Ride services for those in possession of an over-60s concessionary bus pass.

Although this charge will be introduced next month, it was not a decision taken by the Labour administration, but a budget decision taken by the Lib Dems in February, with Conservative support.

That decision is legal as on Park&Ride sites buses are not classified as stage carriage services. Off these sites it would not be legal to apply such a charge.

Unfortunately, Labour is unable to reverse this charge due to the financial constraints placed on us by both the previous administration and by Government funding cuts.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Deputy leader of City of York Council.