Bristol Airport has been accused of “discriminating against the elderly and infirm” after scrapping free bus travel for most OAP concessionary pass holders. South Bristol Tory Cllr Richard Eddy has launched a campaign to get bosses to reverse their decision to stop allowing Diamond Card passengers to make local trips on the A1 Airport Flyer while still accepting paying customers.
Bishopsworth Cllr Eddy says that although the service between the airport, Bristol bus station and Temple Meads is intended mainly for those jetting off on flights, it has become a “lifeline” for many in western Bedminster Down and Highridge which have poor public transport. As well as an express service for airport passengers and staff who live in South Bristol, the commercial bus also picks up paying customers and Diamond Card holders under an arrangement originally negotiated with Bristol City Council.
But with aviation custom increasing as the sector emerges from the pandemic, airport managers say they now need to increase spare capacity on the route and are reverting to pre-covid use of the local authority concessions card from Sunday (April 24). Cllr Eddy is outraged and hopes to secure the support of metro mayor Dan Norris, who leads the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) which has responsibility for the region’s strategic transport.
