AN EAST Lancashire MP is calling on the county council to scrap school bus charges for pupils in his constituency.

Nigel Evans said it was wrong to expect Ribble Valley parents to pay for their children’s transport if they decided against sending them to their nearest secondary school.

The county council changed its policy last September so transport is only free if a child attends its closest school and that is more than three miles away.

Mr Evans said he had received “hundreds of complaints” from parents, with some saying they were having to pay up to £600-a-year in fares.

He said: “It is a huge chunk and I want the council to relook at this issue.

“It is a taxation on parental choice. These people are taxpayers, I don’t see why they should be penalised for their child going to a different school.

“I would like to see transport provided free but if this is unsustainable they should only pay the difference in cost between the school they go to and the cost to send them to the nearest school.

“I have been contacted by hundreds of parents. They are angry they are being penalised.”

Mr Evans said the policy meant more parents would take their children to school themselves, undermining efforts to get people using public transport.

Transport had been free for children living more than three miles from school, regardless of where they attended.

The county council said the changes brought the borough in line with the rest of the county and with government policy.