Cuts 'could stop teens studying'
Colleges fear transport cuts could prevent students from continuing their education.
Leicester City Council wants to save £600,000 a year by scrapping free transport for children travelling to faith schools which are further away than their nearest school.
It is also considering axing subsidised transport for post-16 students living more than three miles from their school.
An eight-week consultation is due to be held.
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Shirley Munden, student services manager at Gateway College, in Hamilton, said: "As a college on the edge of the city, this could cause real issues for students, many of whom travel long distances to reach us.
"Any withdrawal of financial support to post-16 students is going to have a tremendous effect on them.
"A lot of families are feeling hardship and the Government's withdrawal of the Education Maintenance Allowance last year, which many students put towards travel expenses, has added to that.
"Some may not be able to afford this and that could mean fewer students opting to continue their education.
"This issue is something I'm sure all college leaders will want to discuss so that we can respond appropriately."
Paul Wilson, head of Regent College, in the city centre, said: "Post-16 transport is rightly a potential concern for students and parents, particularly since provision at post-16 is in many cases more specialised.
This can require travel to the colleges that offer the most appropriate courses.
"It will be very important through any consultation to ensure that and choice is not undermined.
"The council will hopefully consider the important needs of students who choose courses not automatically available to them without travel."
Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for schools, said: "It's important to remember these are only proposals and we want to hear from everyone concerned.
"No decisions have been made. The savings are a small part of a total spend on school transport of £4.5 million.
"Many youngsters will still receive assistance and nothing has been determined yet."
It is expected about 230 children would be affected by the changes if they are given the go-ahead for next September.
Final decisions are likely to be made in February.
Comments
by h0m3r
Friday, November 02 2012, 2:08PM
“With so many kids i see now wearing designer gear, having flash phones etc, i doubt them having to pay their bus fare will hurt them. Its a good life lesson, you want to attend school, this is the cost of transport. The kids who want to go school will take this on board...the layabouts won't, will moan and say "i can't go school now".”
by Careers Partnership (UK) Ltd
Friday, November 02 2012, 11:36AM
“The incomes of those who earn an average or less than average wage are hugely squeezed at the moment and the situation of the unwaged is even more desperate. However cash-strapped Leicester City Council is, it's wrong to place extra barriers in front of teenagers acquiring the post-16 education so vital to their life chances.”