CHEAPER bus travel is on offer to pensioners and people with disabilities in Wyre Forest.

Anyone eligible for a bus travel permit has two schemes, available through Wyre Forest District Council, to choose from.

Under the council's scheme, residents pay £6 to cover the year running from July 1, 2005 until June 30, 2006, enabling them to travel anywhere within the district for 40p for a single journey.

The second scheme, provided by the Government, offers free bus permits that allow holders to travel anywhere in Wyre Forest for half price between 9.30am and 11pm on weekdays and all day at weekends.

To be eligible for either option, people must be aged 60 or over, while applicants for the council's scheme must also be working for less than 20 hours a week.

The council also has an alternative travel token scheme for anyone aged over 80 who does not have the use of a car, as well as people with certain disabilities.

Travel tokens totalling £25 for taxi journeys are given to applicants meeting the criteria.

Applications for concessionary travel can be made today at Purcell House, Westminster Road, Kidderminster, between 9am-11.45am and at Wolverley Church Hall from 2pm-4pm.

Tomorrow, they can be applied for at Farm Close Community Centre, Birchen Coppice, Kidderminster, from 9.30am-11.30am and Arch Hill Court, Orchard Street, Kidderminster, between 1.30pm-4pm. From Monday, The Community Housing Group premises in Oxford House, Oxford Street, Kidderminster, will take applications from 9am-4pm each weekday until Friday, July 1.

Applicants can also call in at Stourport Civic Hall until tomorrow between 9am-4pm.

From Monday, July 4, applications can be made at Wyre Forest District Council's cash offices at Coventry Street, Kidderminster, 9am-4.30pm, Civic Centre, Stourport, 9am-4.30pm or Load Street, Bewdley, 9am-1pm.

Residents can also fill in a form online at www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk or ring 01562 732126.