A new attempt to ease restrictions on the use of concessionary bus passes in the county is to be made next week.

A motion by the opposition Liberal Democrat group calls on the county to allow those holding an age-related bus pass, aged 60 and over, to use buses after 9am, rather than only after 9.30am as at present.

And those with disabled people’s bus passes would have no restriction on when they could be used.

LibDem transport spokeswoman Caroline Page said the changes would make it much easier for elderly people who need to get to doctors’ or hospital appointments.

“Appointments tend to start at 8.30am so if you can’t even get on a bus until 9.30am that is difficult – and at the hospital the last appointments in the morning are often at 11.30am so that adds to the pressure,” she said.

People with disability often relied on buses to get to work – or to voluntary work – but were unable to afford the cost of their fares because they were on low pay, she added.

County transport spokesman Guy McGregor said the government only paid for the concessions from 9.30am and if there was to be an extension other services could suffer. He said: “I am anxious to maintain our transport network.”

n Should the bus pass rules be changed? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.