THE late County Councillor Eric Treadgold, on hearing the details of "free bus passes", said: "This is all fine and dandy, but what about the house-bound or those that go without in order to run a little car, because there's no such thing as free travel?"

"If there any spare cash going, add it to the old age pension and let the people choose priorities," he added.

He was absolutely right, because in the end, it is the council taxpayer who has to foot the bill.

Let us be perfectly honest with ourselves. First Midland Red has a good case for an increase in the subsidy paid by Redditch Borough Council, which has not been increased adequately in real terms in years.

Generous

Worcestershire County Council cannot increase its already generous subsidy, unless it cuts other essential services.

The three political parties in Redditch, should sit down together and decide the minimum charge needed for every "free bus pass" journey, before we reach a situation when there will be no bus service at all in Redditch.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR TOM WAREING,

Redditch,

Worcestershire.