A scheme which has brought cut-price travel to elderly and disabled people is likely to be expanded, council chiefs have confirmed.

Concessionary bus fares were first offered to people living in Hambleton in June last year, in a move which local authorities heralded as being of huge benefit to residents.

The scheme, which was initiated by central Government, is being run in partnership with all of the other councils in North Yorkshire, and allows people to travel for half-price within the county, as well as further afield to shopping centres, such as Darlington, Middlesbrough and York.

Although more than 6,000 residents have taken up the passes, some disabled people have complained about being denied the full benefit of the scheme.

Members of Hambleton District Council's cabinet were told last week that many disabled residents were still excluded because of a lack of public transport in their rural communities, or their inability to use it.

The leader of the council, Councillor June Imeson, said: "We want to do the best we can to ensure all disabled people have a concessionary travel scheme. We need to cater for all types of disability, and to use more modes of transport than buses."

As a result, councillors are now looking at ways to incorporate taxis into the scheme.

Coun Imeson said cabinet members were considering four possible options - special tokens, vouchers, taxi cards and smart cards.

The authority is expected to make a decision in the next few months on which its preferred choice would be.

Similar problems have already been encountered in the Ryedale district, where bus passes replaced a popular token system which allowed residents to travel by bus, taxi or train.

Floods of complaints were received from residents who said a half-fare bus pass was of little use in deeply rural areas which saw very few buses