Pensioners were due to brave the rain today to lobby councillors over plans for a huge rise in their bus fares.

Demonstrators were due to protest outside Oxford Town Hall, in St Aldate's, as members of the city council's highways and traffic committee arrived to discuss plans to charge half-fares for OAPs.

At present, senior citizens can travel anywhere in the city for 20p. But the city council wants to increase the fares, last raised in 1991, to help cover budget deficits.