RICHMONDSHIRE councillors are to debate whether they should join forces with other North Yorkshire authorities to provide cut-price travel.

The district council is expected to become part of a countywide concessionary fares scheme, after the Government ruled that all councils should offer a minimum of half-price travel to pensioners and disabled people, from next April.

The authority already runs a limited concessionary fares scheme, and because of the rural nature of the area, taxi travel is also covered for those who qualify for discounts.

The meeting will be warned the Government's plans for a statutory cut-price bus network will increase the costs, and the council will no longer be able to afford to offer help with cab fares.

Bus trips from Richmondshire to Darlington also seem to be in line for the axe, as the new system would be coordinated across North Yorkshire alone.

Even then, estimates put the district's costs at almost £14,000 over budget.

If taxis and bus travel to Darlington were included in the equation, the figure could rise to about £52,500, far more than the council could afford.

The Government has indicated councils will be given more to spend this year to help cover the extra bill, but Richmondshire's finance officers say that is still unlikely to be enough.

Partnership with neighbouring administrations in North Yorkshire should help keep the costs down, and with Hambleton, Harrogate, Scarborough, York and Selby already committed, Richmondshire's decision could prove crucial.

The recommendation to tomorrow's Richmondshire meeting is that councillors join the partnership and limit concessionary travel to buses operating within North Yorkshire.

However, it is suggested that both taxis and bus travel to Darlington are given a high priority, and that they are re-instated in the network as soon as the Richmondshire authority can find the money.