Cumbria County Council's Rural Wheels initiative is aimed at those who cannot travel because their journey cannot be made on a bus or train.

It aims to make better use of transport which is available, like cars or mini buses, to provide a link to bus and train services.

The scheme will involve smart cards being used instead of cash.

The smart card technology is being used following a successful pilot in South Lakeland which started in November 2002.

'Social inclusion'

The cards can be topped up at the council's libraries or at post offices and travel using them will be charged at 30p per mile.

Council cabinet spokesman for transport Councillor Kevan Wilkinson said: "Cumbria County Council is committed to social inclusion and the support of rural transport schemes."

The project will begin later in the summer and will run until March 2006. Funding of �217,000 will comes from the Countryside Agency and Department for Transport.

The money will be used for equipment and to subsidise the service.