PENSIONERS will be able to save up to £120 a year from this Saturday as a new scheme offering free bus travel starts up.

The initiative, which was officially launched at the Guildhall in Worcester on Monday, will be a bonus for more than 100,000 people across Worcestershire.

It means that those over the age of 60, or who are disabled, will be able to travel without any cost across the county as well as into Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and other parts of the West Midlands. Under the old system, pensioners had to pay £12 for a pass and 50p for return journeys.

This means someone who travels by bus for five days a week will now save £120 a year on fares.

Worcester City councillor Barry Mackenzie-Williams said: "The reduced fares have always been popular but we are anticipating an even greater take-up of the scheme now that it offers totally free travel at all times." The free travel initiative was welcomed by older people's groups in the city and beyond.

Margaret Dow, of the Worcester City Forum for Older People, said: "We really appreciate what has been done in obtaining free travel. It will enable more people to get out and about and to travel outside the Worcestershire area too."

Fred Kaler, of Evesham and District Pensioners' Association, added: "One of the big advantages will be for people in the rural areas, as this is a positive step forward to getting them better services. It will encourage a lot more older people to go out."

A smartcard system will be introduced in the autumn to enhance the reliability of the scheme, combat fraud and also help to make the process easier for bus users.

More information on the fare scheme is available by calling 01905 722 233, logging on to the website www.cityofworcester.gov.uk, or www.worcestershire.gov.uk.