Calls have been made to extend free bus travel for people with learning disabilities.

Campaigners want them to be able to use their concessionary bus passes when they need them the most – during peak hours.

Metro’s Disabled Person’s Pass currently entitles holders to free off-peak travel.

That means before 9.30am from Monday to Friday the passes cannot be used.

Bradford People First, a body run by people who have learning disabilities, has set up a petition asking for the hours to be extended.

Members are calling for free bus travel for disabled people all day every day.

The group will be in Darley Street, Bradford city centre, tomorrow from 10.30am to 3pm, inviting people to sign their petition.

Treasurer for the organisation Tommy Redgrift said: “We should be able to use the passes all day.

“Some people have to work and we have to be at work before 9am, so we can’t use it when we really need it.”

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe is supporting the campaign.

He said the passenger transport authority in Greater Manchester had recently changed its policy and extended the hours of free travel for disabled passengers, and he thought the West Yorkshire Authority, Metro, should do the same.

He said: “Metro has got a large budget and they have got priorities. I think this is an important priority..”

Deputy Chairman of Metro, Councillor Chris Greaves, said: “The crunch point is affordability.

“Where you have off-peak free travel, the bus is not full. If the bus was full at a peak time, we would have to provide another bus and the cost would be enormous.”

Coun Greaves said the cost of providing one extra bus was likely to be a six-figure sum. He said: “I do not think it’s likely but we are getting figures together.”

People can sign the Bradford People First petition by visiting bradfordpeoplefirst.co.uk.