AS one of the country’s rapidly growing and much talked-about ‘ageing population’ approaching retirement age, I’m privileged enough to qualify for a ‘free’ bus pass to use on local bus journeys.

However, as I’m also lucky enough to be in current full-time employment and a car owner, my use of the pass is infrequent.

I did however have cause to use it recently, having found myself car-less in Witney, and needing to get back to my place of employment at Cassington.

I therefore hopped on to the S2 Stagecoach service in the High Street, brandished my pass, and asked to be taken to the Cassington Turn. Clutching my free ticket, I went upstairs and sat back to enjoy the relatively short journey in comfort.

After settling down, I noticed that my ticket was actually issued from Witney Market to Oxford City.

Now, there could be several reasons for this. Firstly, the driver may have misheard ‘the Cassington Turn’ for ‘Oxford City Centre’ – an easy mistake to make as they sound so alike. (Not really).

Secondly, the driver may have noticed my advancing years, and decided that I would be probably be asleep and miss the stop by the time we reached Cassington, and he better give me a ticket for the whole journey so I wouldn’t get into trouble. (Unlikely).

Or could it be some other reason?

Meanwhile it would be worth checking your tickets when you get them, as if this practice continues, the scheme will be scrapped due to the ‘unprecedented and unforeseen expense’ of carrying it on.

Don’t forget that someone, somewhere is getting a bill for our free tickets – and they just might be paying more than they should be.

Clive Harrison, Over Norton, Chipping Norton