David Cameron's recent promise to pensioners to keep their present benefits, including their bus passes, for the duration of the next Parliament is more evidence that residents in constituencies like South Dorset are really not on his radar.

Either that or he and his policy makers have no idea how his policies have already affected many elderly people living in rural communities in counties like ours.

Last year, when DCC made cuts to rural bus services, Martin Abrams, of 'Campaign for Better Transport said the cuts to bus services in Dorset were some of the worst cuts to bus services he had seen in a large rural area, both in terms of the number of routes and the passenger journeys.

Cutting these rural services has a dramatic impact on the elderly, particularly the elderly on low incomes who are no longer able drive nor pay for taxis. The bus pass is meant to ensure our elderly residents are not left isolated and are able to maintain their social networks and access the services of local towns.

But bus passes are pointless if there are no buses. It feels as if elderly voters in South Dorset are being taken for a ride. And it feels as if the needs of rural communities like ours in South Dorset are of no priority to this government.

To announce keeping bus passes as a means of courting the 'grey vote' amounts to denying the truth that there are fewer buses than ever because of government cuts.

Bus passes without buses says it all. Let's hope DCC consider this before cutting more services in the future.

Jane Burnet Green Party Parliamentary Candidate, South Dorset