DARWEN MP Jake Berry is to meet borough education bosses over plans to scrap subsidies for pupils’ bus fares to faith schools outside the town.
Residents have contacted him horrified that scrapping the scheme could see the daily cost of tickets to classes at St Bede’s Roman Catholic High and other RC state schools in Blackburn could rise to £4.50 a day.
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Both Blackburn with Darwen borough and Lancashire County councils are looking at reducing their support for travel costs for pupils to the statutory minimum which would end subsidies for fares to faith schools further aware than the nearest non-faith alternative.
This could increase parents’ costs by up to 25 per cent.
Mr Berry said: “This is disgraceful.
“I’ve been contacted by dozens of parents across Darwen who are really worried about these proposals which could see their children’s daily bus fares rise to £4.40.
“I’ve written to the council asking them to make sure that they take into consideration how hard this could hit local families and I’m meeting with council bosses in the next week to put this point across to them in person.
“There are plenty of other ways that the council can save money without fleecing the pockets of hard working parents.
“With the cost of petrol plummeting you could argue that they should be looking to reduce the bus fares – not increase them!”
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