County council bosses have made a final appeal to the Norfolk public to help make the case for the government to plug a �4.5m funding gap created by concessionary bus fares.

Leaders from Norfolk County Council will head to Downing Street next week to present a petition to transport minister Norman Baker.

The petition was launched last September because of a �4.5m shortfall in what the government gives the council to cover the cost of concessionary travel and what the council has to pay operators .Thousands of people have signed the online petition at www.norfolk.gov.uk/fairfares and more have signed petition sheets when the campaign has headed out on to the streets.

Councillors have decided to keep it running for a little longer to try to push the tally over 25,000.

Graham Plant, cabinet member for planning and transportation at County Hall, said: 'Every extra name adds to our cause, so I hope anyone who hasn't already signed will do so.

'We will tell the minister that while Norfolk people strongly support concessionary travel, they don't think it's fair that the county should be having to finds ways of meeting a �4.5m shortfall in what is supposed to be a nationally funded scheme.'

People will get a chance to sign the petition at King's Lynn Tuesday Market. from 10am to 2pm tomorrow. and Great Yarmouth Marketplace, from 10am to 2pm on Wednesday.

dan.grimmer@archant.co.uk