Free cross-border travel for pensioners plans revealed

The British and Irish governments are planning to offer pensioners unlimited free travel throughout Ireland.

A meeting between Secretary of State Peter Hain and Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern is due to take place at Hillsborough Castle later today, to discuss the proposals for the scheme, which could see pensioners receiving free cross-border bus and rail travel.

It is understood that both governments intend the scheme to be up and running by April 2007.

At the moment, senior citizens aged 65 or over are issued with a travel pass which permits them to travel free of charge on public transport within Northern Ireland.

Citizens in the Republic of Ireland aged 66 or over are entitled to free travel within the Republic.

Senior citizens in either jurisdiction can also travel for free across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, provided it is an unbroken journey to a single destination, however under the new proposal, pensioners can travel across the border, stay for as long as required and continue to another destination within the south without charge.

Passengers would also be able to use all local services for free.

The Secretary of State is also expected to reveal plans to review the concessionary fares scheme in Northern Ireland which also enables registered blind people and those receiving a war disablement pension to travel free.

It also offers half fare travel to several categories of people with disabilities and children under the age of 16.

Commenting on the plan, Regional Development Minister David Cairns said that it was a "win win" situation for senior citizens and added that it would enable pensioners on a fixed income to be able to travel around much more freely without having to pay for it.

(EF/GB)