FREE bus travel is being extended for pensioners in an East Lancashire borough.

Hyndburn is expected to introduce the move for journeys before 9.30am next month and the offer will last until March.

No other East Lancashire borough is allowing pensioners the privilege.

And Hyndburn council bosses revealed they were also looking into the possibility of free bus passes for college students.

From April 1 nationwide those aged over 60 have been entitled to free bus travel after 9.30am and before 11pm Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on bank holidays.

Before this was introduced people in Lancashire had been able to travel for free within individual boroughs at all times.

The only cost incurred was 50p when a journey crossed a borough boundary.

Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said of their offer: “This is good news for elderly people in the borough.

“We have decided in Hyndburn, unilaterally, we will be going to make travel free before 9.30am.

“People over 60 have to wait until after 9.30am to benefit from the free bus travel and many of them are up before 9.30 in the morning.

“We are hoping this will be beneficial for people for Christmas shopping.”

Lancashire was given £19million in April to manage the post 9.30am bus travel.

But Hyndburn will have to find the cash for its extended offer.

Opposition councillors questioned how the scheme would be funded.

Graham Jones, leader of the opposition, said: “The decision is going to put the funds at the council under huge risk as the council is going it alone. "The scheme will need administration and these things are going to be costly.”