College prinicpal voices concerns over proposed bus fares rise

The principal of Shrewsbury College, based at London Road in the town, said the consultation period being undertaken by Shropshire Council and due to end on Monday had 'come very late in the year'.

Steve Wain added that the views of neither the students or the college regarding alternative solutions had been sought.

Last month, the council wrote to colleges and parents about its consultation on travel arrangements for September 2014.

Proposals put forward could see the cost of travel for students aged 16 and over increase from £550 to £876 per academic year – an increase of about 60 per cent.

In a letter sent to the college, Andy Evans, principal network solutions officer at the council, said the council provided help with transport to college and sixth form for entitled students under the terms of the council's policy.

The letter said there was "a need to address the disparity between the cost of a bus pass to the council and the income it receives in contributions from students/parents, to continue to provide assistance in this area."

Mr Wain said the consultation had come 'very late in the year' when most students had now already decided which college they wanted to attend.

He said: "At no time prior to this has the council sought to seek student or college views on a range of possible options.

"The percentage increase is very significant and will affect several different groups of people.

"Shropshire is a very rural county and some of our students have to travel a long way to get to College – some of them have to use up to three different bus passes to get here so this increase will affect them greatly.

"The council is there to run local services and this is a local service – this move would create a barrier to education which should be free and with the Government's plans for education to become compulsory up to the age of 18, this will affect more people in the future.

"Compared to Cornwall Council, for example, who subsidise their student transport so students only have to pay £327 a year, that is significantly lower than the Shropshire Council bus pass before this expected rise.

"We are working with any affected students and their families and the main thing is that people who are coming to us in September should not worry.

"We will be putting our views into the consultation and whatever the outcome we will be working with parents to ensure students are unaffected."

Under the proposals, from September 2014 the proposed contribution levels for students not on defined benefits, for example families on income-based jobseekers allowance, income support, free school meals or child tax credit where the current income is less than £16,190, will be the equivalent to £2.43 per journey or £292 per academic term.

For families who are on defined benefits, the proposed charge will increase to £47.50 per academic term or 40p per journey.

Anyone with any concerns about travel to Shrewsbury College from September should contact Student Services on (01743) 342322.