MOVES to abolish sex discrimination could benefit 2,200 men in the Test Valley from next April.

At the moment women over the age of 60 are able to benefit from Test Valley Borough Council’s concessionary travel scheme but men must wait until they are 65.

As a result of the Travel Concessions (Eligibility) Act 2002 men aged 60 to 64 will be able to claim the help as well as women.

The borough council’s head of revenues, David Matthews, says 2,200 men could benefit from 1 April next year when the legislation comes into effect. The scheme is a major part of Test Valley expenditure and in 2001/2002 it accounted for £615,880 of the council’s budget.