Patricia Morris (Oxford Mail, February 10) and Mandy Rodway (February 16) have raised the point about whether bus companies are benefiting unfairly from the concessionary fares scheme, because the ticket they receive may sometimes not tally with the journey they make.

There is absolutely no link between the ticket they receive and the reimbursement scheme.

The ticket, or rather the permit to travel, is only for internal use by the bus companies.

How the reimbursement works is based on a formula based on the average value of a trip.

This is done by adding up the value of all of the single and return journeys taken on each route, not just concessionary journeys, but all journeys. The vast majority of journeys are taken by fare-paying passengers.

From this the average cost of a trip is calculated. This figure is then further reduced by five per cent to take account of journeys taken using travel cards.

Bus operators are then paid a percentage of that average fare, which, in the case of Oxford city, is just 51.5 per cent of the average fare.

Helen Fowweather, Finance and Commercial Director, Oxford Bus Company