FYLDE pensioners are facing a £10 fee for senior railcards from this week.

The passes -- which were formerly provided free by Fylde Borough Council to all Fylde women aged 60 and over and men aged 65 without charge since last year -- allow pensioners one third off most rail journeys.

But councillors voted to scrap the free railcards -- which cost the council £15 each -- at a meeting this month.

From Tuesday (January 22) elderly Fylde residents are charged £10 for their railcard.

And councillors also decided to charge pensioners £10 for travel tokens.

Travel tokens to the value of £30 had previously been issued to OAPs in areas of the rural Fylde for just a £3 administration charge.

Minutes from the council's policy and resources committee meeting on January 14 said: "Fylde's scheme was very generous compared with most other districts in Lancashire and it was very difficult to justify continuing to operate this, particularly in view of the financial problems facing the council in the coming year."

The council issued 2,250 senior railcards last year, which cost the council £33,750 each year and around 60 transport tokens, costing £1,800. Half fare bus passes for OAPs will continue to be issued free of charge.

Coun Liz Oades and Coun Alfred Goldberg voted against the introduction of the charges.

Coun Oades said: "I know of elderly people in Kirkham who have the railcards so that they can visit their families who don't live in the area. It's those on low incomes who will be affected.

"And the elderly people here used to get the travel tokens. They were stopped five or six years ago and just given to pensioners in Treales, Roseacre and Wharles and replaced elsewhere with the railcards.

"I was very much opposed to that and now we are going to be charging for the railcards. I'm not happy about it at all."