The local authority is currently carrying out a consultation on the rail concession scheme — which costs council tax payers more than £700,000 a year — but has conceded that it is 'unlikely' that it will continue, at least in its present form.

But the Campaign Against Charges, which has vigorously fought the rise in home care costs since they were introduced almost two years ago, has described the move as 'unthinkable'.

CAC spokesperson Maureen Closs said: "The groupings of people who will no longer have the concessions are also some of the people who have had to find extra within their budgets to pay for home care services and their community alarms in the last 18 months.

"It seems particularly mean-spirited to make them face this double whammy.

"If the council is hard-pressed for money then perhaps they need to get their priorities right and stop hitting the most vulnerable of Fifers."

However, Councillor Tony Martin, chair of the environment, enterprise and transportation committee, asked CAC not to 'jump the gun' on the issue of concessionary rail travel.

He said: "We are currently consulting on the rail concession scheme, asking the people of Fife for their views.


"However, it would be fair to say that it is unlikely the concessionary rail scheme can continue as it is.

"We are looking at ways of increasing the travel choices for the most vulnerable people in Fife, those who are elderly or disabled. Fife Council looks forward to working with all the representatives of these communities during the consultation.

"It is estimated that around 444,000 journeys will be undertaken this year under the scheme, yet 85 per cent of the journeys are made out of Fife, mainly for shopping trips to Edinburgh, Dundee and Perth.

"With better targeting of resources, I want to make sure that the money we have to spend helps those who need it most to get out and about and maintain their all-important independence and quality of life."