RE Dial-a-Ride again. I cannot let such extraordinarily incorrect statements as in the letter from Cllrs Pressel and John Sanders (ViewPoints, November 21) go unchallenged.

They have completely misunderstood how Oxford’s Dial-a-Ride bus service used to be and now is, funded. They are confusing the concessionary fares budget with the funding for the specialised Dial-a-Ride buses. Free travel for pensioners and the disabled on local buses – including Dial-a-Ride buses – was and is very welcome, but imposes a considerable burden on local authorities.

The city council was seriously underfunded from Government and when the county council became the responsible authority in 2011, an £8m cost was transferred with only a £4m grant from central government to pay for it.

No spare change there! The Dial-a-Ride buses, on the other hand, have been provided by a partnership of the county council with district councils since 2005, with the Lib Dem-run Oxford City Council opting to pay for a second bus out of its own resources from 2007.

Cllrs Pressel and Sanders are incorrect to say the city received any community transport grant – that grant goes to the county council and is supporting the provision of the current countywide Dial-a-Ride service. Oxford’s frail elderly and disabled are suffering from Labour’s pig-headedness in refusing to pay anything towards the transport they need to live better lives.

The block-booking arrangements do need to be sorted but the single bus now in service is carrying as many passengers as did the single bus before 2007. It was seriously oversubscribed, hence the addition of another bus.

There are many people now unable to get out because the one bus cannot meet the need; having to book weeks in advance does indicate a large unmet demand. When will Labour start to listen to residents, particularly their frail elderly and disabled residents who deserve very much better?

JEAN FOOKS, Leader, Lib-Dem group, Oxford City Council