It would be ‘criminal’ to take away a mobility scheme from disabled and elderly people, a service user has said.

Speaking at a health, social care and civic pride service committee meeting last night, 84-year-old Albert Sparks said Redbridge Council’s proposal to cut the Redbridge Mobility Card Scheme would leave him and his wife house bound.

He said: “I have had two lots of cancer removed from my bladder, and now have cancer of the prostate. My wife has Alzheimer’s and our ailments do not allow us to use public transport.

“The mobility scheme gives us the independence we need.

“If you saw some of the other people who use the scheme, who have problems worse than mine, it would be criminal to take it away from them.”

Mr Sparks, from Ilford, said the taxicard service, which the proposals claim would be sufficient in lieu of the mobility scheme, is too expensive for anything other than short journeys.

The taxicard service only subsidises one return journey a week, costing £10.80 each way.

Mr Brett, from Loughton, whose 44-year-old son David uses the mobility scheme four or five times a week, also spoke out against the proposed cuts.

He said: “My son has learning disabilities and suffers from epilepsy, so is unable to use public transport.

“The mobility scheme drivers are answerable to Redbridge, and are respectful and caring of my son’s needs.

“Taxi drivers are not answerable to anyone. What happens if they are late, or there are no cabs in the area when my son needs picking up? Leaving him stranded in the middle of Ilford late at night is just not an option.”

Jon Abrahams, of the Redbridge Disability Consortium spoke to say he is strongly opposed to the cuts and that Redbridge should be promoting such a good scheme, not cutting it.

Action groups from across the borough will be holding a public meeting at Forest House in Ilford on February 15 at 2pm to discuss the cuts.

Cabinet member for health and social care, Councillor Mark Santos, said: “It is really important to have service user’s feedback, and I will be listening to people on this matter right up until budget day on March 3.”

A vote to withdraw the proposed cuts was lost, with five councillors voting for and six against.