PENSIONERS have been given a boost after Droitwich town council agreed to subsidise bus passes at an emergency meeting.

The council already contributes to the cost of bus passes for the over 60s and disabled passengers so they only have to pay £12.50 for three months.

But it worked out that the council had to contribute each time somebody took a bus journey, rather than each time a pass was issued.

About 180 people buy the passes but they use them so regularly it meant the council had soon racked up a big bill.

The town council owed bus company First £9,331.39 and this week held the emergency meeting to authorise payment of that bill before the end of the financial year.

Councillor Mike Barratt outlined the three options available to the council.

He said they could scrap the passes altogether, put up the prices or they could agree to subsidise the scheme.

He said: "I propose we subsidise the bus passes for this year until December 31.

"Then we have the rest of the year to look at what we can do in the future."

The councillors were unanimous in their support of the bus passes.

Coun Peter Pinfield said: "It's a sorry state of affairs that the more the passes are used by people, the more it (the bill) goes up.

"The bus service is the only way for some people to get into town."

Coun Don Lawley agreed the service should be subsidised.

He said: "It gives us time to re-negotiate and decide what we are going to do in the future. We can't let this situation carry on."