OAP champion Albert Weager says town centre workers should pay parking charges so pensioners can continue to catch rush-hour buses for free.

The 72-year-old from Coleford is angry at plans to save money by stopping pensioners using their free bus passes before 9.30am.

And he says if the Forest of Dean District Council brought in charges for all-day parking they would be able to raise enough money to safeguard the current scheme.

Mr Weager says many older people need to get into Gloucester or Cheltenham early to visit hospitals, run errands or go shopping.

He fears they will suffer when Gloucestershire County Council takes over the free bus scheme in April.

The county plans to bring the Forest of Dean in line with the rest of Gloucestershire and make pensioners wait until after 9.30am to use their free passes.

"District councillors have the opportunity to keep the existing arrangements but they will have to pay the extra," he said.

"I am suggesting they can do this through car parking charges.

"I don't mean charging shoppers who come into town for an hour or two, but people who stay all day and take up all the spaces.

"If the people who work in the NHS hospitals in Gloucestershire have to pay for parking, why not council workers in Coleford?"

Mr Weager believes many pensioners will be upset by the change because they may not be able to get back until late and dislike being out after dark.

"Older people tend to be up early in the morning and like to get going," he said.

Mr Weager sits on the Forest of Dean Health Forum, the Gloucestershire Link Stewardship Board, the Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust Patients' Forum and the Great Western Ambulance Service Trust.

He has asked Glouc-Rural Community Council to check if the changes will make it difficult for older people in remote rural areas with infrequent bus services to get to vital places and back in a day, as part of the county council consultation.

District council finance chief Councillor Brian Robinson said: "Any introduction of parking fees in Forest of Dean car parks would be a matter for the district council and could not be linked to the bus pass arrangements."