A MOVE to abolish taxi tokens for disabled people in Christchurch has been thrown out.

Christchurch Borough Council proposed to remove the travel tokens scheme to save around £14,000.

A report to the council’s scrutiny committee, recommending the scheme stops in April, said it had ‘limited use’.

Around 121 people in Christchurch are registered to use the scheme, and receive £40 in tokens each year.

In 2011, a similar recommendation was thrown out by members due to opposition.

Although the scheme is closed to new users, the council originally offered it as an alternative to concessionary bus passes for people unable to access them due to a disability.

However, due to two different authorities running the schemes, residents can have bus passes and taxi tokens.

The report said: “This is an administratively heavy process for a little used facility.

“There is no control over the use of taxi tokens. Once issued there is no check against their use to ensure the person eligible to apply is the actual user.”

Following the decision, Cllr Denise Jones, champion for the elderly in Christchurch, said: “These people are mostly in wheelchairs and can’t get on a bus.

“This gives them a little bit of independence and means they will have the opportunity to go out and experience the world for themselves.

“Ultimately over time, with the scheme closed to new users, the numbers will go down and the cost will too.

“There are times when you have to think of people’s needs above administrative convenience.”