WHILE I agree (letters, August 17) that people are not old at 60, millions of them are retired and living on a low income.

If they cannot afford to visit their friends, or go to the city centre, they will become isolated with bad effects on their mental and physical health.

I doubt if many working people have bus passes. They can only be used after 9am on weekdays.

The writer asserts that “young people will have to pick up the tab”. But who does she think paid for her mother’s child benefit and her own education?

In fact, taxpayers only pay the bus companies a fraction of the fares, plus a sum for ‘revenue foregone’ as the Department of Transport calls it.

As many buses run half-empty in off-peak hours, there is no real cost to the country’s economy when some pensioners occupy the vacant seats. There is gain for the country’s welfare.

While many pensioners now own cars which are costly to tax, insure and run, many others do not and some of them live in rural areas where there is no bus service.

Now we hear that Dial-a-Ride in Cherwell district will be cut back.

As transport co-ordinator for the Oxfordshire Pensioners’ Action Group, in touch with the public transport officers of the county council, I know they are working on this problem, so a new scheme will start on April 1, 2012.

Incidentally, I have just learned that, this October, coach companies may withdraw their 50 per cent discount for pensioners because the Government is withdrawing its £27m subsidy.

It’s yet another blow for pensioners.

M HUGH-JONES Hon Secretary OXPAG Headley Way Oxford