HALF-PRICE bus fares to Darlington are likely to be included in Richmondshire's new concessionary travel network, after all.

When councillors met on Tuesday night, the local authority's officers recommended the administration sanctioned a partnership with the rest of North Yorkshire, which would help to make travel by public transport across the county more accessible to the elderly and disabled.

Their report recommended bus trips to Darlington should be scratched from the list of cut-price destinations, as they could add more than £8,000 to the bill.

However, Richmondshire's environment committee was reluctant to axe a valuable link with its nearest neighbour, and a vote confirmed the authority's wish that routes to Darlington remain in the concessionary fares package.

Meanwhile, the committee decided not to rule taxis out of the equation either.

The Richmondshire authority already offers cab vouchers to make travel easier from some of the district's far-flung communities, and councillors resisted a move to cut costs by ditching them immediately.

However, as finance chiefs are warning it could cost the council an extra £30,000, a final decision could now rest on how much Richmondshire receives in grants from the Government, in December.

Environment committee chairman Pam Middlemiss said: "Affordable public transport is a lifeline for many elderly and disabled people, helping them get out and about.

"This new free pass will not only make public transport more affordable than ever, it will also give people much more scope for getting out and leading active lives."