Sixteen members of the elderly, disabled and blind community spoke out against proposed cuts to a borough-wide mobility scheme last night.

Representatives from Redbridge Disability Consortium and Transport for All also spoke at Redbridge Council’s cabinet meeting on behalf of those who would lose out if it cut the Redbridge mobility scheme.

In its January budget proposals the council suggested cutting the scheme that heavily subsidises transport for people with limited mobility and getting users to use its taxicard service instead.

Stanley Kimmelman, who is 82 and a regular user of the mobility scheme, said: “When I heard about the proposed cuts I was upset, angry, and horrified for myself and others who use the service.

“I was a London taxi driver for 51 years so I know how expensive they can be. A lot of people who use the mobility scheme would not be able to afford taxis if it was cut, leaving them housebound.”

He also asked how the council could justify paying to install CCTV cameras in the same mobility scheme vehicles it is proposing to cut.

Service user Janet Poole said: “My mobility scooter is my life line and my freedom to get around, but black cabs are not allowed to take mobility scooters anymore.

“Sometimes even the minicabs turn up and can’t fit my scooter in and they often don’t know where they’re going.”

Redbridge Pensioners Forum spokesman Myrtle Holman said the forum’s petition against the cuts has already received over 100 signatures.

Service user Tony Sharp asked the council: “Have you really put yourself in a disabled person’s shoes on this issue?

“If people are housebound because they can’t afford to go out, it will cost you more in services like meals on wheels and mental health care.”

Council leader Jas Athwal said: “I can tell you after hearing everyone speak tonight I have definitely thought about this from a disabled person’s view now.

“We have some serious thinking to do.”

Cabinet member for health and social care, Councillor Mark Santos, said: “We will be listening to people on this issue until budget day on March 3.”