York's National Railway Museum looks set to slash adult admission charges to a nominal £1 next year, following extra Government funding.

The dramatic reduction from £6.50, coming after children won free entry last year and pensioners earlier this year, could bring a welcome boost to the city's crucial tourism sector as well as local train enthusiasts.

A typical family of two adults and up to three children would pay only £2 to get in, compared to £15.50 for a family ticket at the start of last year.

More visitors could be encouraged to come to York - and could also have more money left to spend on other attractions, said Gillian Cruddas, of the York Tourism Bureau. "It's good news for York. It gives us more reasons for saying York is good value for money."

The Labour Government has been determined to introduce free admission to the national museums to increase access by people of all income groups - reversing a decision by the Conservatives to introduce charges.

But completely free admission for adults has been ruled out because, under complex tax rules, the mmuseums would no longer be considered to be trading and could not reclaim VAT, said Andrew Scott, head of the Railway Museum in Leeman Road.

He said the NRM was part of the National Museum of Science and Industry, and trustees would meet next week to consider the Government's offer of additional money to compensate for the loss of admission revenue. He felt they were "minded to accept" the offer and bring in the entry price cut from next September.

Mr Scott welcomed Government efforts to minimise admission costs but said he also had concerns that there would be insufficient funding available to help the NRM finance future development and expansion. It would be necessary for it to explore other avenues of funding.

And he stressed that charges would still have to be imposed for special events, such as the annual Thomas the Tank Engine event, which involved considerable extra costs.

He hoped that overall attendance figures at the museum -currently running at just under half a million visitors per annum - would rise, and that there would be extra spending in the shop and dining facilities.

He said the number of children visiting the museum had risen by approximately 15 - 20 per cent since they won free admission. But the number of pensioners visiting had shot up by 80 per cent since free entry came in earlier this year.

York MP and Government Minister Hugh Bayley said he very much hoped the price cut would be introduced. "The railways are York's heritage."

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