BUS users are celebrating victory after Southampton's ruling Conservative group scrapped plans to cut free bus travel for the elderly and disabled.

The Tory U-turn - almost like something from an episode of 70s sitcom On the Buses - was also welcomed by opposition groups.

Labour group leader June Bridle said: "If it wasn't for the seriousness of the issue it was a bit like watching a comedy rerun. Why did it take such a long time for them to understand the impact this would have?

"They are supposed to be running the show but they really are a joke when everybody else could see it and they couldn't."

Under the Conservative plans - part of their budget proposals - a national free bus travel scheme would have been introduced from April and the existing more generous citywide scheme scrapped.

Now about 30,000 over 60s will continue to be able to hop on buses for free from 9am, rather than 9.30am, and 1,500 disbaled residents will get to keep their passes.

Councillor Gavin Dick, the Conservative's transport boss denied it was a U-turn: "We went out to consultation and listened to people before making our decision," he said.