A SCHEME which could enable people aged over 60 in the Vale of Evesham to travel around the area for free has been agreed by Wychavon District Council's executive board.

Under legislation all councils in the country have to implement a full fare bus pass scheme by April 2006, with a statutory minimum of district-wide, free travel at off-peak times for everyone aged 60 or over.

Wychavon board members on Tuesday agreed to enhance the scheme to enable qualifiers to travel across Worcestershire and into neighbouring counties at any time free of charge.

Council leader Martin Jennings said: "The enhanced scheme will be great news for our more mature residents who live near our borders and need to travel into neighbouring districts to get to their nearest town. Even though we don't know yet how much funding we will be getting from government to support the scheme, we want our residents to have a Rolls Royce service as soon as possible."

Board members also agreed to include the Community Transport Schemes in Evesham, Pershore and Droitwich as part of the decision so that people who lived where no other transport arrangement exist could also travel free on alternative schemes.

Cllr Jennings explained: "Once again there is no statutory requirement to make special measures for those living in rural communities. But we believe that if the principle behind the scheme is that older and disabled people should travel free on local bus services it would be wrong if they would have to pay to use an alternative where no local bus service is available.

"We recognise that in some rural areas public transport is a problem. Using this pass people could, for example, make their own way to Pershore or Evesham and then go on to Worcester or Cheltenham by bus."

He said the council took transport very seriously and members wanted to make sure all residents benefited. In turn they hoped that by increasing use of public transport bus companies would be kick-started into improving services and routes to meet demand.

Proposals for the scheme only include people 60 or over and registered disabled.

National Transport tokens will still be available to the over 80s and disabled if they prefer them to a bus pass. Full details will be publicised when the scheme is launched.