Free cross-boundary bus travel has been secured for pensioners and people with disabilities in Harborough.

Following extensive talks with Leicestershire County Council and councils in other districts Harborough District Council has signed up to a new free bus pass initiative within its existing travel scheme.

Now instead of paying half fare to travel outside the district people aged 60 and over or those with disabilities will be able to travel to places such as Nottingham, Derby, Northampton and Tamworth for free after 9.30am.

Harborough District Council leader Cllr Simon Galton said: “I welcome this move and that an agreement has been reached with the County Council to provide free concessionary travel for the residents of Harborough.

“It has been made possible due to funding for the scheme from the County Council that previously was not there.

“Whilst we at Harborough have always wanted to provide more than the minimum scheme achieving this has been dependent on agreeing the allocation of costs between the other district councils. This has been achieved and I am pleased that we can now move ahead.”

The new scheme will cost the council an estimated £350,000 for 2006/07 and £348,000 for 2007/08. This amount includes Harborough District Council’s share of the County Council’s contribution to help run the scheme of £500,000 up to March 31, 2008.