CHEAP rail fares for pensioners in and around Scotland's biggest city are to be scrapped during evening rush hour.

The elderly and disabled are currently entitled to concessionary fares across the old Strathclyde network at any time after 9am.

Today councillors responsible for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) will be asked to ban such travel from 4.30pm to 6pm.

The move should bring the west of Scotland into line with the rest of the country, where such restrictions are already in place.

The SNP has sought to pin blame for the proposed cutback on the Labour councillors who run SPT.

SNP councillor Graeme Hendry said: "I have little doubt that many Glasgow pensioners will be badly affected by this proposal from SPT so I would urge Labour not to try and further reduce access to concessionary travel."

The decision has to be made by SPT's concession scheme committee, which brings together councillors from across the west of Scotland.

Officials have called on the committee to back the changes, which they say are designed to keep the scheme alive during a time of budget cutbacks.

An SPT spokesman said: "The proposed changes are made to ensure the long term stability of the concession scheme at a time when funding is extremely tight. We welcome the reductions in operator reimbursement, but the committee is continually challenged to consider ways to reduce the cost of the scheme and keep it in-line with available budgets for the year ahead."