A CONTROVERSIAL decision to remove free transport for children on a hazardous school route is to be reviewed.

Durham County Council's cabinet has agreed to look again at the move, which will affect more than 100 youngsters in the Leadgate area who attend Blackfyne Comprehensive, in Consett.

Although not automatically eligible for free bus travel because they live less than two miles from the school, children in the village were given it several years ago because the walk to and from school was deemed hazardous.

As part of a review, however, councillors decided the route from Leadgate to Blackfyne was no longer hazardous and voted to scrap the free travel.

The move angered parents, pupils, governors at the school and local Independent county councillor Watts Stelling.

At his request, the council's scrutiny sub-committee called in the cabinet's decision for review.

After almost two months looking at the issue, it proposed guidelines for future reviews, which included better consultation and clear criteria for assessing the safety of routes.

It also asked the cabinet to look again at the Blackfyne decision in the light of its recommendations.

Council leader Ken Manton welcomed the committee's report, describing it as "very positive'' and said it vindicated the setting up of the scrutiny system.

Councillor Stelling, who welcomed the move, was concerned that the criteria used in the Blackfyne review did not take account of factors such as the route's windswept and rural location, the fact it is more prone to bad weather and the risk of pupils falling victim to crime.

He says that no two routes are the same and the review process should take account of local conditions.