AN investigation has been launched by a Whitehill councillor into the use of over-60s bus passes on buses linking Bordon with Liphook railway station. Adam Carew, who is also the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary candidate for East Hampshire and a travel spokesperson, wants to sort out the confusion over whether bus passes for those over 60 can be used on South West Trains' rail-bus link between Liphook and Bordon. Bordon does not have a train station and the bus link is intended to make it easier for the town's residents to access the Portsmouth-to-London line in Liphook. The provision of a railway station in the town is being called for by some as part of the Whitehill- Bordon Opportunity (the opportunity to develop the town when the Army leaves) and Eco Town Bid. The town, the second largest in East Hampshire, has the worst accessibility problems, according to Mr Carew. He said: "I am astonished that retired residents were told they could not use their free bus passes, the Hampshire Fare Pass, on the South West Train link from Bordon to Liphook, despite the fact that South West Trains runs many buses in Hampshire. I rang South West Trains for clarification, only to get the same answer. "It was explained to me that the rail-link bus was actually treated as part of the rail network for administrative purposes. It is, therefore, effectively classified as a train and not a bus service. "I was told that it is perfectly possible to use East Hampshire District Council travel tokens on the rail-link bus, or to use a rail card like a Student Rail Card if one books through in advance, but not the Government's free bus pass as administered by Hampshire County Council. "I then contacted Hampshire County Council to see whether we could negotiate with South West Trains to allow the use of the Hampshire Fare Pass on this service, only to be told people already could. This is not what I was told by South West Trains or by residents. "So, I double checked with the bus driver who confirmed bus passes could not be used on this service. "This matter needs to be resolved as soon as possible and I have asked county officers to look into it as a matter of urgency. They have taken it up with the commercial director of Stagecoach South who will discuss it with South West Trains. "There is an appalling lack of public transport in Whitehill and Bordon, and neighbouring Lindford, and I believe that our retired residents should be entitled to use their bus passes on the rail-link bus."