FIFE Labour are set to fight a potential OAP transport ‘double whammy’ as the Scottish Government threaten to change the entitlement to free OAP bus passes, and Fife SNP fail to rule out council cuts to Fife’s Dial A Ride and Ring A Ride Transport (DRT) service.

Fife Labour aired concerns this week about OAP bus passes have emerged over the weekend followed speculation that the Scottish Government are planning to increase the age for OAP’s entitled to a free bus pass but will wait until after the Council elections on May 4.

Spokesperson for Fife Labour, Cllr John Wincott said :‘For Fife’s elderly community the free bus pass and DRT service is a critical life line.

"Fife Labour are determined to fight any cuts to either service.

"It was a Fife Labour administration that first introduced the free bus pass in the 80’s.

"The council at that time was under attack by Thatcher’s Tory Government – and we are not now going to sit back and allow a Scottish Government to do what Margaret Thatcher’s Government failed to do by removing the free bus pass from our elderly.’

Mr Wincott continued: "Many of our elderly do not have access to private transport and depend on their bus pass to be able to make doctor’s appointments and visit the shops.

"Elderly people can easily become socially isolated if they do not have access to public transport.

"I would ask the Scottish Government to think again and not cut this important service to the most vulnerable in our community."

So far the Scottish Government have not said that there are any plans to change the age of bus pass users.