Free bus service controversy
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• Scotland's free bus service for the elderly is to start in Paisley. But some old people do not want it. In a protest petition to the town council, signed by 2000 people, it is claimed that the system would "segregate them" in special buses running only at certain times. Instead, the petitioners want concession tickets so that they can travel on normal services at any time.
But last week alr William Darroch, convener of the council's road committee, said: "I told a meeting of the old-age pensioners that the council believed they would save more money on the free services than on concession tickets."
The free buses are to operate shuttle services during the day between outlying housing schemes and the town centre. Said Mr Darroch: -I asked the old folk to give the scheme a fair trial first. It could be extended or adjusted in the light of experience and improved if necessary."
There are 16,000 old-age pensioners in the town, and the council plans to spend £25,000 in an initial six months trial period to start this week. The scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland.