YOUR recent stories about the baptism row pupil from near Durham being refused a bus pass and a similar situation facing 13 Heighington and Aycliffe non- Catholic pupils attending Carmel RC College, Darlington, highlights the mismatch between 21st Century schools' inclusive and choice-based admission policies and local authority transport policies.

As a parent of one of the "Heighington 13" I am concerned primarily with getting my child to and from school safely (and do so by car).

However, as Carmel has seen fit to accept my child as a pupil I fail to see why Darlington Borough Council should perpetuate an outdated transport policy which discriminates on religious grounds by not allowing my child and others the same transport made available to baptised Catholic pupils.

As a result, the parents of these "equal, but different" pupils will typically be transporting children to and from school by car. Where is the sense? We are constantly reminded of the need to reduce our carbon footprint yet Darlington council is effectively adding to congestion and global warming through adherence to this outdated and inappropriate policy.

We are rightly offered choice as parents in selecting our children's education and local authority policy needs to be aligned with government objectives and pupils' needs.

Name and address supplied.

I CANNOT understand all the publicity about Elliott Stewart and the bus pass row (Echo, Sept 12).

My grandson is baptised a Catholic and lives in Newton Aycliffe. His parents chose to send him to Carmel College, in Darlington. However, if they had sent him to St John's, in Bishop Auckland, he would get free transport.

Because they chose to send him to Darlington they have to pay for his bus pass, and do so willingly.

All this is explained to parents, long before pupils start their chosen school, by the authorities.

Kathleen Kelly, Darlington.