BUS travel is to cost elderly and disabled passengers another £4 a year and 5p a journey.

That is the formula expected to be offered to Worcester's 8,500 over-60s as the city council faces a "budget-busting" £711,000 bill for funding the concessionary fares scheme.

The decision comes after a shock announcement by First earlier this year that it wanted the extra money to continue operating the scheme. Last year, Worcester City Council paid a subsidy of just £527,000.

As a result of this, council members set up the biggest-ever survey into city pensioners' views.

"A phenomenally high response rate to our appeal for views showed the majority of pensioners would be willing to pay more than we suggested for the annual pass plus a little extra on each journey in order to retain it," said the council's deputy leader, Councillor Simon Geraghty.

"We've listened to those views and developed a version of the popular flat rate scheme that we believe will satisfy the majority of pensioners and be affordable to the city council taxpayer."

However, one pensioner in the city disagreed.

Outraged

John Griffiths, aged 78, travels into Worcester City centre twice a week and is outraged at the changes.

"I don't mind paying 5p extra on each journey but to pay £4 more on a bus pass is asking a bit much," said the Winchester Avenue resident.

Pending cabinet approval tomorrow, the changes will come into force on Saturday, January 1.

Other options originally put forward to pensioners included a completely free scheme carrying a £1.5m burden on the city's 31,547 council taxpayers, to a free pass plus half-fare arrangement.

And by far the majority (80.9 per cent) chose either the flat rate similar to the present one, or to opt for a free pass with half-fares throughout the city.

"The consultation exercise proved invaluable," added Coun Geraghty.

"Aside from a generous cross-section of the pensioners themselves, we also took into account the views of the Older People's Forum as well those of all the city's taxpayers who, after all, bear the brunt of the scheme's costs.

"With more than half a million pounds of public money at stake, we believe we now have a solution that represents the best all-round package for the city as a whole.

"We are keeping it simple within the constraints of the most-favoured option."