SCRAPPING concessionary bus fares for schoolchildren could hit some of the poorest families in Darlington.

The £250,000 cost-cutting exercise by the council was unveiled last week, alongside its plans to restore a three-mile limit for free bus travel. It will mean children living within three miles of their school will no longer qualify for free travel.

Coun Pat Buttle represents Park East where 119 pupils from Skerne Park travel free to what is now Hummersknott school and language college.

She told the D&S Times: "I am far from happy that what is being proposed is going to be at great cost to the families living there.

"Some go to Hummersknott, others to Hurworth or Eastbourne.

"You are talking about an area where people are on low pay or welfare benefits. It is a disadvantaged community faced with the burden of an added cost for school transport.

"Parents may no longer have the choice of school because of that. Hopefully common sense will prevail so that children continue to have access to the school of their choice."

She added: "I would like to see all children educated by the state given free bus passes. I think education is a vital component in a young person's life."

Mr David Henderson, head teacher at Hummersknott, said: "What we have heard from the authorities is that children currently in school and those coming in September will be given free transport.

"But concessionary spare seats will be removed immediately and those children will have to pay up fairly quickly."

Quite a few of the Skerne Park pupils came into that bracket and it would have enormous implications for some families.

"Our main concern is that we have enough children in school, otherwise that could have serious consequences. We have to ensure the position of the school is safe."

Mr Henderson said the plans had been under discussion for a year and schools had been asked for their views and ideas.

"The fact is the authority has an Ofsted inspection next year and if it doesn't do anything it will be challenged on how much is being spent on public transport.

"They could be told they shouldn't be spending £400,000 in a small town like Darlington.

"I can see the difficulties they are having and we take on board what they are saying. We are just going to have to prepare ourselves for whatever final decision is made."

l At Tuesday's transport forum, several fathers said they would be worried about their children having to walk to school, especially down dark alleys and streets.

They were discussing congestion caused by parents driving their children to school and plans to withdraw school buses.

But chairman, Coun Nick Wallis,said: "Children used to have a lot more freedom. There is a point where you have to give them a bit of trust and allow some risks to be taken, otherwise they don't learn about road safety at all."