TRAVEL costs have tripled for some disabled Hounslow residents following changes to subsidised taxi fares.

More than 90,000 people across the capital are members of the London Taxicard scheme, which gives people with disabilities discounted cab rates.

However, London Councils, which administers the system, has reduced the level of subsidies because of a reduction in funding from Transport for London (TfL).

Under the old system, card users paid £1.50 to swipe their card and then received up to £12.80 worth of free travel. They could also 'double swipe', allowing them to travel twice as far in a single journey.

However, under the new arrangement, which took effect at the beginning of the year, the basic cost is up by two-thirds to £2.50, the maximum subsidised fare is down to £10.80 and double swiping is no longer allowed.

A petition has now been launched calling on cash-strapped Hounslow Council to subsidise the scheme.

Wasif Bhatti, of Barrack Road, Hounslow, uses the card to travel across the borough for meetings of the charities Speak Out in Hounslow and the Independent Activities Project, and to visit his friend in Ealing.

The 32-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, says the cost of travelling from his home to Ealing has increased from £6 each way, under the old 'two swipe' system, to £17. We want double swiping to be restored and for the basic price to be reduced to £2 because a rise of two-thirds is too much."

Mr Bhatti also uses the free Dial-a-Ride ser- vice, provided by TfL, but says it is limited in terms of when it can be used and how far passen- gers can travel.

As the Chronicle went to press, Hounslow Council had not responded to our questions.