It was nice to see Roger French clarify the method of reimbursement for the free bus travel scheme so quickly.

However, the Countycard scheme is not the one promoted by Chancellor Gordon Brown.

What he intended was for pensioners to receive free bus travel from April 2006 and for this to be extended nationally by April 2008 but the Countycard scheme includes pensioners, the disabled and people with learning difficulties.

It is unfair taxpayers will have to pay for free travel for people the Chancellor's scheme was never intended to cover.

The Countycard scheme needs to be revised so non-pensioners properly pay the old half-fare rate.

Countycard holders can only use buses after 9am during the week but many offices now operate flexible working hours so this still puts a burden on services where pensioners are boarding while others are still on their way to work. Putting the card's validity back until "core time" starts at 10am would help.

Similarly, there are no restrictions in the evening peak so folk going home from work and Countycard holders all try to get on the same buses and, occasionally, some get left behind.

Stopping Countycard holders from travelling between 4.30 and 6.30pm would solve this. If they must, they should pay a surcharge.

The free travel scheme has been so successful it is in danger of overwhelming bus capacity.

As pensioners can travel at quieter times rather than taking up space when working folk are going home, this would even out loadings during the day.

  • James Smith, Sackville Way, Worthing