Just the ticket?

On April 1, the government's concessionary bus travel scheme was extended to allow the over-60s free off-peak bus travel anywhere in the country.

Sounds great, yet the scheme could end up costing Bournemouth's tax-paying residents a staggering £1m.

The existing free bus pass initiative meant local authorities were responsible for covering the cost of any bus journeys by local residents which started or finished in their area.

However, under the new rules, councils will have to pay for all journeys starting in their area, regardless of whether the passenger is a local resident or not.

Cllr Alan Griffiths, leader of Christchurch Borough Council, explained: "At the moment we pay for Christchurch people who go on the bus to Poole, for example, or we pay for Christchurch people that come back from Poole.

"In the future we pay for anyone that gets on a bus in Christchurch - so you could have people that are down here on holiday from Birmingham who get on a bus and we have to pay."

The Department for Transport has said the government is investing up to an extra £250m nationally each year to extend the bus pass scheme.

Transport secretary Ruth Kelly said: "We have already seen how popular concessionary fares are. Bus use in England rose by four per cent in the year after we introduced free, off-peak local travel.

"Now we are extending their entitlement, millions of older and disabled people will be able to use their passes while visiting friends and family anywhere in England as well as to access local services."

Wilts and Dorset is welcoming the scheme and has even enhanced routes in some areas to account for the additional usage.

Public relations manager Chris Harris said: "All pensioners' passes are very welcome on all our buses. But we do need to ensure that we are reimbursed by the local authority at a fair rate. We will be watching carefully."

It's this reimbursement issue where the scheme comes unstuck.

Christchurch Borough Council is already dealing with a £390,000 deficit for the original free bus pass initiative, and is unsure whether its £200,000 government funding will be sufficient.

"The problem is, we have no idea what the increased cost of the scheme will be," said Cllr Griffiths.

"It could be less than that, but it could well be much more than that.

"We fully support the scheme - we've been working harder than most authorities to publicise it. If you get people off the roads and on to the buses it's got to be a good thing.

"But everyone is getting their bus passes thinking it's all been paid for. When people realise they're paying again in their council tax, they're not going to be happy."

Funding the scheme looks set to be an even greater concern for Bournemouth Borough Council, which has estimated it may cost tax payers an additional £1m.

Deputy leader Cllr John Beesley said: "There is some extra government funding but some authorities are going to be hit more than others. The major resorts, of which Bournemouth is one, are going to be hit harder than most."

The council will be monitoring the scheme very closely to ensure any additional funding required would be identified as early as possible.

"What the government says is that they've provided adequate compensation to authorities across the country," added Cllr Beesley.

"Now that could be true, but it doesn't take account of those authorities that are hit harder."

There's no doubt the initiative is worthwhile for those who are eligible, but will it really benefit the region in the long run?

Cllr Beesley isn't so sure.

"I would want our residents of Bournemouth to take full advantage of it, because it's there and it's their right to have it," he said.

"The issue is, who's going to pay? Is it good for Bourne-mouth? It's a good thing for Bournemouth residents that are eligible and it's a good thing for other authorities that are using it at Bournemouth's expense. But I'm not sure whether it's a good thing for Bournemouth."