I AM absolutely fed up with David Hunt and Les Byrom expressing views on the free pass scheme when they obviously do not understand how the scheme works, and it is for this very reason I would like to put the record straight.

May I state from the very outset it is not Merseytravel who wish to abolish free passes for our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and disabled. That would automatically happen should Wirral move back into Cheshire.

Does Mr Hunt really believe a scheme would exist for former 'Merseyside' residents, should a transfer to Cheshire occur, and a different scheme for residents already residing in Cheshire?

If Mr Hunt is of the opinion persons paying exactly the same amount of council tax in the same county will entitle one person to have a free bus pass and another to pay half fare, then I'm afraid Mr Hunt is not living in the real world.

Can you imagine one senior citizen residing only doors away from another and arriving at the same bus stop - and one shows a free pass and the other must pay whatever is the cost of the scheme in operation by that county!

Mr Hunt does not mention what would happen to senior citizens from Sefton, Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens who would wish to enter the new Authority. I will save Mr Hunt and Mr Byrom the trouble of getting it wrong again - their pass will only allow them to travel in the areas of Sefton, Liverpool, Knowsley and St Helens and not in the new Cheshire. And of course Cheshire residents would not be allowed to travel free in the other four district councils.

Mr Hunt can discuss the Merseytravel free transport scheme with John Wilkinson, Director of Finance, Steve Tunna, Chief Sales Officer, Uncle Tom Cobley and all, but the fact remains that any pass authorised by Cheshire County Council will only be valid in that area.

From Coun Mark Dowd, Chair of Merseytravel

Hatton Garden

Liverpool

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.