CAMPAIGNERS who are fighting to change what they claim is a discriminatory CalMac ticketing policy have secured a crunch summit with the Scottish Government’s transport minister.

Islander Carol Fox claims that CalMac refusing to sell books of five tickets for the Largs to Millport route to any disabled or elderly passenger with a concession is illegal and targeting them unfairly.

Carol claims that to get the discount, elderly and disabled passengers must leave their cars and buy a ticket every time they travel, whilst able-bodied users only need to do this every five journeys.

A meeting has now been agreed with MSP Jenny Gilruth in October after a positive community response following her article in the News earlier this year.

Carol explained: “I’ve been fighting this for a long time and the article got a great response from people on the island.

“It affects everyone over 60 and disabled. I said I would be prepared to go to court to fight it if that’s what it took and I stand by that.

“I got in touch with the Equality and Human Rights Commission and although they were sympathetic, they said they couldn’t help on this occasion.

“I have kept pursuing it and emailing the minister’s office, and eventually I've been heard."

Carol insists she will make it clear to the minister that legal action is on the table to try and force a u-turn.

She said: “We only have a half hour, so I’ve got to make my points very firmly and directly to Ms Gilruth.

“I’m determined to let her know that I am raising this on behalf of all Millport residents.

“If all else fails and we have to take legal action it will be against the Scottish Government.

“I’m not going to let this go and if the meeting doesn’t bear any fruit, I will have no choice but to go to court."

Carol has teamed up in her fight for equality with fellow islander Jim Thomson, both pictured, who lost the lower half of his left leg in a crash on the Haylie Brae several years ago.

She says the current policy of making concession holders leave their cars to buy tickets is shocking, especially with winter coming up.

She added: “It’s the most absurd reasoning and affects so many people on the island.

“To use your concession you have to get out the car for every journey in the wind and rain, buy a ticket from the office and hand it straight back.

“People under 60 or able-bodied can buy a book of five tickets, so they don’t have this inconvenience.

“CalMac’s explanation is that it’s down to SPT and Transport Scotland as there appears to be an argument over who subsidises concessionary fares

“You can buy a book of ten tickets but it’s £10 dearer and some people will not be able to afford that, especially amid the cost of living crisis."

A CalMac spokesperson said: “We launched a ten journey, blue badge product in 2016, but the concession fare being referred to is not a CalMac product, instead it is one that we retail on behalf of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).

“Therefore we are unable to sell this non-CalMac product in the same way that we do with our own tickets.

“As part of introducing our new ticketing system, we are working with SPT to hopefully provide the opportunity for customers to advance purchase concession tickets in the future.”