Rotherham protesters join Freedom Ride demonstration

Dozens of disgruntled passengers from across South Yorkshire held a rally outside Sheffield station at noon in a bid to keep up the pressure on transport bosses who scrapped the free passes last year, forcing senior citizens to pay half fare instead.

The event was timed to mark the anniversary of a confrontation at the station last year when demonstrators were arrested.

Among them was Alan Trickett from Thurcroft, who said the campaigners were determined to keep up their fight for concessionary travel to be restored.

“I wasn’t arrested myself but came pretty close to it,” he said.

“The cut has certainly hit me because I used to go on the train about once a week but I won’t know — I object on principle to paying for a service which should be free.”

Last June, free train travel for the disabled was reinstated and half fares for older people introduced after months of campaigning by the Freedom Riders, who are determined to see fare-free travel for OAPs restored.