A CONTROVERSIAL decision to charge students over 16 for bus journeys to school and college has not led to a drop in the numbers opting for further education, as feared, according to council officials.

Officers at North Yorkshire County Council concluded earlier this year that, although it was an unpopular move, charging students £8 a week for journeys to new courses starting in September was the only way to balance the budget as the authority tried to set an affordable council tax increase.

Councillors were told that the charge would bring North Yorkshire into line with 95 per cent of education authorities, while the introduction of education maintenance allowances of £10 to £30 a week in 2004 would help poor families by cushioning the impact.

During a month-long consultation, some parents said the proposed transport charge would discriminate against middle-income families and students living in rural areas.

However, officers said evidence from other parts of the country where the system operated did not indicate a fall in the numbers taking part in further education.

A progress report to be presented to the young people's scrutiny committee on Tuesday, January 9, said the conclusion had been justified by evidence obtained from schools and colleges since the charge was introduced.

Chris McGee, the assistant director of learning, youth and skills, said five colleges reported increases of between 8.3 per cent and 10.5 per cent in 16 to 18-year-olds taking part in further education this year compared with last year.

They included Scarborough Sixth Form College, Yorkshire Coast College and Harrogate College.

There has also been a sharp decline in the numbers applying for help with transport costs. The council approved 2,731 applications last year, but the figure had fallen to 1,828 by the middle of this month.

Mr McGee said: "As part of this evaluation, we have written to all schools and colleges in the county and a number of out-of-county colleges that receive large numbers of North Yorkshire students. Only six responses were received.

"Four schools commented on the perceived barriers of introducing charges, but two of them acknowledged that their numbers had increased this year.

"One out-of-county college accepted there had been no negative impact.

"One school indicated that while their numbers overall had increased, the numbers recruited from other schools had decreased.

"Introduction of charges was a very sensitive issue. There was real concern that charges would act as a barrier to participation and the number of students entering post-16 education would fall.

"The evidence suggests these fears have not been realised."