Pensioners in Basildon are giving up the fight to get free bus passes after months of campaigning fell on deaf ears.
Bob Sears, secretary of the Basildon Forum for the Elderly, claims they can't do much more for the campaign locally, though it is an issue he is still fighting on a national level.
President of Noak Bridge Women's Institute, Elsie Higgins, is also deflated as she is yet to get a response from Parliament to her petition of more than 2,000 signatures.
At present pensioners in Basildon pay £135 for their half-fare bus passes while those in neighbouring Thurrock get it free.
Mr Sears said: "We felt we were banging our heads against the wall with the council.
"The council won't move on this issue at all."
A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "If more funding was available to help finance free full-fare bus passes we would be pleased to make these passes available. But we are only a small council and have to use our limited finances accordingly."
Published Friday July 30, 2004
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