The final decision on pensioners' concessionary fares will be made tonight.

And campaigner Frank Avenell is calling for the town's elderly people to come out in force at the meeting in protest against plans to get rid of rail concessions.

The ratification committee will make the final decision whether to go ahead with a plan to give pensioners a choice of half price fares or £40 worth of bus travel using magnetic cards.

The plan will also offer £60 of travel tokens for the mobility impaired. But the plan does not include provision for rail travel.

Mr Avenell, of the Fairness for Pensioners Group, said: "We need as many people as possible to come along and show that they are against the plans, which will mean that pensioners will get no choice.

"The Government's white paper on concessionary fares states that pensioners should have a real choice, which includes rail travel, but this council is ignoring all of this.

"People have different transport needs and the council needs to realise this."

The recommendation was put forward after a council task group was set up to look into concessionary fares.

One other option which was investigated would have included a free voucher for a senior railcard and a token system for the less mobile.

The recommendation was made on the grounds that the first option would provide the best value for money and benefit those most needing concessionary travel.