Pensioners in East Hampshire can catch a bus anywhere in the country any time of the day, for free, including along the A3 Bus Priority Corridor to Portsmouth.

But going back home from the city can present a problem. Pensioners can only catch a bus in Portsmouth with their free bus pass between 9.30am and 11pm.

East Hampshire District Council has been contacted by disgruntled pensioners, who had had their bus passes refused when boarding the bus in Portsmouth.

The quirk in the concessionary bus travel scheme – which was launched nationwide earlier this month – has come about because of a mismatch in council funding.

East Hampshire District Council has taken the unusual step of ploughing extra cash in to providing 24-hour free travel for pensioners.

But cash-strapped Portsmouth City Council has only been able to fund the scheme for part of the day.

Dozens of pensioners have not realised, however, and been refused entry with their bus pass when boarding the bus.

It comes as yet another blow to the A3 Bus Corridor – which boasts 'Zip into town! It's never been easier to zip to Portsmouth City Centre and Gunwharf Quays'.

Bus-user Eric Pearcey, 87, of Frogmore Lane, Horndean, said: 'What if my appointment at St Mary's hospital finishes at 9am? I can't get on a bus until 9.30am.

'I think it has caught a lot of pensioners out.

'It's a bit silly that you can get into Portsmouth, but you can't come back.'

Roger Banks, passenger transport group manager at Portsmouth City Council, said: 'An East Hampshire resident can travel for free on journeys that start in their council area all day. This is because they have their own scheme that goes beyond the national minimum times.

'Portsmouth residents can travel for free under the national scheme's minimum period, which runs from 9.30am to 11pm.'

He added: 'Portsmouth City Council would like to offer an earlier start, but can't afford it. This is because the government has failed to provide enough money to the council to run the scheme.

'Operating a minimum bus pass service as we are now, we still estimate we will have to find £1.3m to fund the shortfall, equivalent to two per cent of the five per cent council tax rise.'