The morning and afternoon school runs are a huge juggling act for many parents. Some start work earlier or later to accommodate them, or ask friends and grandparents for help.

Come October, most children, including those starting primary or secondary for the first time, have settled into a routine. So imagine the surprise and upset when twins Lucy and Katie Ackers were told one must give their school bus pass, meaning they can no longer travel to school together.

The girls’ family pay £38 per month for each pass but were told at the point of issue from the county council that passes may need to be given up to provide a space for a child entitled to free travel.

This whole scenario is unsettling for the twins and their family and must be resolved quickly. If it is simply a case of putting on another or a larger bus, surely that can be arranged fairly easily.

Getting children to school safely and effectively must be a priority for the council, and allowing the sisters to travel to school together is an acceptable request.

The alternative arrangements do not appear to be viable for the family so a reasonable solution must be found. The first come, first served rule seems fair. Pulling the service away at this stage is unfair.