FREE bus passes are on offer for older people at an event starting tomorrow.

The Older Persons' Benefits Information Fair takes place at the Guildhall, in York, from Tuesday, until April 20.

York residents who are aged over 60 and eligible can collect a bus pass entitling them to free bus travel anywhere in York and North Yorkshire after 9am, or they can choose to take tokens that can be used on trains and in taxis and community transport services.

They also have the option to exchange the tokens for a £40 discount on residents' parking.

To be eligible for the travel concessions, residents must live in the City of York and be aged 60 or over or have certain disabilities including being blind or partially sighted, being profoundly deaf or having a learning disability, among other conditions.

Anyone intending to apply should take along their proof of age and proof of address.

Those residents who are applying for a bus pass for the first time or whose existing bus pass has expired can call at the Guildhall for one of the issuing sessions.

These are being organised in alphabetical order, to keep queues to a minimum. People with surnames beginning with A,B or C should go along from tomorrow to Friday, D,E,F,G,H,I from April 2 to April 5, J,K,L,M,N,O,P, Q from April 10 to April 13 and the remainder from April 16 to April 20.

The issuing sessions are open from 9am to 4.30pm from Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on Fridays.