Campaigners and charities are urging Hampshire County Council (HCC) to halt cuts to bus passes for disabled and older people.

Community campaigners, disability rights groups, and local charities have come together to oppose planned cuts to HCC’s concessionary travel scheme.

The decision, taken by cabinet on October 14, 2024, intended to remove all enhancements to the scheme in Hampshire due to the council’s financial position and the forecasted budget gap.

The concessionary travel scheme allows free or discounted travel on public transport for people with disabilities and those of pensionable age.

In Hampshire, it also includes free travel at all times for holders of Hampshire disabled persons bus passes on journeys commencing in the county to destinations in England, as well as the pass for companions of disabled pass holders.

It also included free travel before 9.30am on infrequent services where there is a departure between 9am and 9.29am and then no further journey until 10.31am or later.

However, the proposal, approved in a confidential meeting on November 19, 2024, will remove all those enhancements from April 1 this year.

In response to the plan, a campaign by Waterside Changemakers, a community group of the Waterside area, New Forest, argues that the changes will “isolate disabled and older people, undermining their independence and wellbeing”.

Through the petition, it urges HCC to stop the cut and keep the “lifeline” for disabled and older people.

Maria Cooper, a member of Waterside Changemakers who launched the petition, shared how these cuts would affect her son Paul.

She said: “My son Paul has autism and uses a disability bus pass to travel to his work. Going out to work has absolutely been his lifeline. If he has to give up his job because of this, it would be so devastating for his mental health.

“Because of his autism, he can’t communicate with strangers like bus drivers, and he can’t even pay the driver. Living on a low income, this will really hurt his finances too.

“There are so many disabled people in our community who go to day centres and colleges where they start at 9am, who would suffer if they can’t use their bus pass. You don’t start being disabled at 9:30.”

Local charities have also urged the council to re-think.

Tom Wardle, Citizens Advice New Forest’s campaigns manager, said Hampshire’s bus pass enhancements have been “hugely beneficial” for disabled and elderly people, improving mental health, independence, and finances and empowering people to participate actively in their communities.

Mr Wardle said: “The scheme has helped many elderly people to get out of the house too, which is particularly important in a county as rural as Hampshire.

“As a charity sector, we are writing to Hampshire County Council, urging them to reconsider whether the changes are worth the small financial saving. The proposals risk undoing the excellent progress and are likely to increase the long-term costs of supporting vulnerable people both for Hampshire County Council and its voluntary sector.”

The provisional overall concessionary travel budget for 2025/26, subject to the full council, is £12.5m.

Removing all enhancements to the statutory scheme is estimated to reduce reimbursement payments to Hampshire bus operators by approximately £75,000 per annum.

Campaigners plan to deliver the petition to Hampshire County Council ahead of a full council meeting on February 13.