£684 for a school bus pass

That's the cost some parents are facing after council votes to scrap funding for school buses

PARENTS will have to shell out more than £600 a year for their children to get the bus to school after West Berkshire Council voted in favour of scrapping funding.

Five home to school bus services will stop from Monday April 18 – affecting pupils who attend Chieveley, Shefford and Aldermaston primary schools and Thatcham’s Kennet School.

For the 2016/17 academic year, a bus pass will now cost £684 under the council’s discounted Fare Payer Scheme. The yearly charge works out at £3.60 a day for a return journey.

West Berkshire Council says the pass can be paid for in one, three or eight instalments to help parents spread the cost over the year. Pupils who attend a school which is not their nearest and who meet set criteria can buy a pass at a reduced rate of £250, which can also be paid for in installments.

Applications are now open to apply for a bus pass for the summer term and will cost £76.67 per child – but passes must be applied and paid for before Friday 18 March in order to qualify. Parents can find out more about the scheme and apply for a place by visiting West Berkshire Council’s website.

The council says the decision to withdraw some discretionary home-to-school transport will save £387,000 each year.