Town Rider passengers from Fishguard and Milford Haven gathered on the steps of the Senedd last week to present a petition calling for the continuation of the service.
The Petition for Concessionary Fares on Community Transport Services attracted nearly 5,000 signatures from all over Wales after the Welsh Government announced it was going to cease funding the scheme at the end of this month.
The scheme supports Pembrokeshire’s Town Rider service, a “lifeline”
which provides transport to 800 bus pass holders who are unable to use the regular bus service due to age or disability.
The scheme was granted a temporary reprieve last month as minister for local government and communities, Carl Sargeant, announced that funding would continue while all 15 programmes across Wales were reviewed individually.
Presenting the petition with campaigners from all over Wales, Debbie Johnson, of Pembrokeshire Association of Community Transport, said: “The Welsh Government is rightly proud of its All Wales Concessionary Travel Scheme, which gives older and disabled people free bus travel throughout Wales.
“However, the current scheme discriminates against the most elderly and severely disabled members of our community - they don’t benefit from the bus pass to which they are entitled, because they can’t get to or from a bus stop, or on or off a bus.”
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