Pensioners could still win their fight for cheap rail travel after a last minute amendment.

At last night's Swindon Council ratification committee meeting, Conservative councillors Mike Bawden (Old Town and Lawns) , Nick Martin (Shaw and Nine Elms) and Liberal Democrat Mike Evemy (Eastcott) asked for the option of rail travel to be looked at when the council budget is decided, to see if enough money is available to fund the scheme.

Labour members were angry at the move, accusing their opposition of political point scoring.

Derek Benfield (Covingham and Nythe, Lab) said: "I am amazed that we have decided this at this late hour. We are playing party politics here and it is to the detriment of the political process."

But the move was sure to be welcomed by the Fairness for Pensioners Group, led by Frank Avenell, which has been fighting for the option of rail travel concessions for pensioners.

The ratification committee agreed that pensioners will be given the choice of half price fares or £40 worth of bus travel using magnetic cards. The plan will also offer £60 worth of travel tokens to the mobility impaired.