THOUSANDS of pensioners and disabled people will get cheap bus and train travel after councillors voted to opt in to a half-price Government scheme.

People who rely on taxis will not be forgotten when Wear Valley District Council drops its existing concessionary travel tokens and joins a permit system covering the whole of County Durham.

In a last-minute move, the council's policy and finance committee agreed at a meeting that taxi vouchers would still be available to residents who cannot use public transport.

Six of Durham's seven councils, as well as Darlington, already offer permits under a county-wide scheme which is subsidised by the Government and run by Durham County Council.

At present, more than 12,000 people in Wear Valley pay £5 to buy tokens worth £25.

But from June 1, all councils around the country have to issue free passes, allowing half-price fares to all those who qualify.

These are women over 60, men over 65, and adults of any age who are blind or cannot get around.

Wear Valley residents had until last Friday to choose between three options outlined by the council's finance director, Eddie Scrivens. More than 1,100 people replied.

Mr Scrivens' report to policy and finance committee members recommended falling in line with the rest of the county.

He said passes would offer unlimited travel and mean that users could save more money.

It would cut out misuse of the token system and save on administration costs.

Council leader and committee chairman Olive Brown asked for taxi users to be included, even though they had been left out of the Government's legislation.

She said: "We as a council should consider our disabled people. Most of the buses which run in this area don't have a disabled ramp and not everyone can use them.

"These are people who need our help as a caring council. We should be thinking of people who are less fortunate than ourselves."

The committee's decision was endorsed at a special council meeting on Monday