THREE thousand Huntingdonshire pensioners and disabled people could miss out on free national bus travel from next April. Although the district council has received 14,000 applications for the new passes, it believes there are a further 3,000 who have not

THREE thousand Huntingdonshire pensioners and disabled people could miss out on free national bus travel from next April.

Although the district council has received 14,000 applications for the new passes, it believes there are a further 3,000 who have not applied and who may not now get their passes before the April 1 start of the scheme. Existing passes will not be valid outside Cambridgeshire, although they will still be usable within the county until the end of June.

Councillor Peter Bucknell, whose executive councillor responsibilities include concessionary fares, said: "Given the tight timescale set by the Government, this has been a challenging time for council staff in getting everyone who is entitled to a pass to apply afresh, and I would like to thank all those who have taken the trouble to do so.

"Our staff have now recorded almost 14,000 applicants on the new database and this has been sent off to the company that will be manufacturing the new cards.

Applicants will receive their new card, together with an information leaflet about the new scheme, in the post during March ready for the start on April 1.