ELDERLY patients travelling to York Hospital for early morning appointments will now be able to travel by bus for free.

First, the city’s largest bus operator, has launched a scheme giving free travel for concessionary pass holders to the hospital before 9am when they would usually have to pay full fare.

The move will benefit thousands of people aged over 60 or registered disabled, who have an English National Concessionary Travel Scheme pass and a travel voucher from the hospital.

Patients can collect the voucher when making an appointment, giving them free travel on any First bus in York before 9am on the day of the appointment.

A First spokesman said the scheme, which had been successfully tested in York in July last year, was being funded totally by the company.

Dave Alexander, regional managing director for First in North England, said the company had worked in partnership with the NHS and City of York Council to offer the scheme.

He said: “This will benefit those elderly and disabled people who currently have to pay for their bus travel to hospital before 9am, the time that their concessionary travel cards become eligible.”

Asked whether buses had the capacity to cope with extra passengers in the morning rush hour, the First spokesman said when the scheme was tested, the company had found it could accommodate any extra concessionary passengers.

Patrick Crowley, chief executive of York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the initiative meant patients aged over 60 – who have a concessionary travel pass and can already travel for free on buses after 9am – could choose from the full range of appointment times available, without losing out on their free bus travel.

He said: “We welcome this development, and we are working closely with the bus company to encourage people where possible to leave their cars at home when travelling to the hospital.”

Coun Steve Galloway, a member of the council's Quality Bus Partnership committee, said he was delighted by the move. He said: “This will give greater choice in terms of hospital appointment times for a large number of people who require treatment at York Hospital.”