A FATHER worried that his children might face a hazardous walk to school if free transport is withdrawn has put his fears before an accident prevention panel.

David Lamb is concerned that the route between Stainton Village and Teesdale School in Barnard Castle might be removed from the county council's list of unsafe walking routes, which is currently under review.

In a letter to Teesdale district accident prevention panel he outlined his concerns and asked for members' support.

The chairman, Coun Michael Wheeler, remembered it being mooted some time ago that even three or four lampposts along the A68 would help. This point was to be flagged up.

But PC Michael Straugheir had spoken to the county council and had been told that the authority was definitely looking at the route from an unsafe perspective.

In the meantime, the Government has announced that it plans to allow local education authorities to offer free bus travel, even if pupils live within the minimum distance from their school.

The changes will be unveiled as part of a £50m action plan to encourage children to walk, cycle or catch the bus, rather than be driven on the "school run".

Current rules, which date back to 1944, have been condemned as outdated as roads have got busier.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said: "Some parents feel it unfair that well-off families living three miles from school have free transport, while those on free meals living 2.9 miles from school have to pay for transport."

Some LEAs will be chosen to test out more flexible arrangements, which, if successful, will be extended to all authorities.

But county council spokesman Fraser Davie told the D&S Times that the authority hoped there was money to back up the Government's plan.

"This authority already spends £10m a year on transport to school, because we cover such a large, rural area, so any further expenditure would be a real headache," he said.

"We are also more than generous in that we are one of the few authorities to extend our 2.9- mile limit to all pupils."