ELDERLY bus passengers in Darlington are expected to have their early morning passes taken away.

Proposals will go before the Darlington Borough Council's cabinet to downgrade its bus pass scheme to save the council up to £300,000.

Currently, any residents in the borough aged 60 or over are entitled to a concessionary bus pass.

It allows them free travel on local bus services all day every day within the borough, and on two services to Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

However, proposals which will be put to the cabinet on Wednesday will recommend the 19,175 free bus pass holders in Darlington only be allowed to use them after 9.30am.

Early negotiations with bus operators in the town show the basic scheme is expected to cost between £2.5m and £3m.

Offering free travel before 9.30am would cost an additional £300,000, and extending the scheme to pass holders from other local authority areas could cost up to £600,000 extra.

The cabinet will also be recommended to extend the scheme to allow some eligible pass holders to be accompanied by a companion also travelling for free. At present, there are 142 people with such passes.

The report to be put before the meeting says: "Unlike this year and last, the bus operators have indicated that they are unwilling to negotiate on a fixed pot basis.

"This means that much of the budget risk rests with the council and it would be prudent to introduce the lowest-cost scheme."

Councillor David Lyonette, the council's portfolio holder for transport, said: "It is the national scheme we are introducing for after 9.30am.

"We will see how it goes and get more information about how many people want to use the extended scheme.

"It will need more work over the next year."

Councillor Mike Barker, parliamentary spokesman for Darlington Liberal Democrats, said: "The council has got itself into a financial mess by its appalling overspend on the Pedestrian Heart.

"In order to balance its books, we can expect to see cuts in local services.

"The withdrawal of free bus travel before 9.30am represents an attack on the elderly, sick and vulnerable residents."

Councillor Heather Scott, leader of the Conservatives, said: "There is a big problem about restricting it before 9.30am.

"It hits a particular part of the population."