CAMPAIGNERS from four Catholic primary schools are planning a mass protest walk against proposals to cut free school transport.

Hundreds of parents and pupils from the four Catholic primary schools in Darlington are planning to walk from the schools to the Catholic Carmel Comprehensive School on July 18, at 3.30pm.

The parents and children will then be transported back to their primary schools by bus company Stagecoach.

The protest has been organised because of Darlington Borough Council's proposals to change the qualifying distance for pupils eligible for free school transport.

At present, pupils who live more than two miles from their nearest or most appropriate school are entitled to free school transport.

The council is proposing to increase the qualifying distance to three miles, which will free £250,000 to be spent in classrooms instead.

Geoff Pennington, the council's director of education, said: "We feel this is a reasonable proposal, as the money we spend on transport isn't going where it should be, which is into the classrooms."

A letter outlining the cost of transport at each of Darlington's secondary schools, and how they could benefit from the proposals has been sent to parents, asking for their views by next Friday.

Parents have formed action groups at the Catholic primary schools to block the proposals. They say the change would mean children having to walk unreasonable distances to school, and fear this will lead to Catholic children attending other schools.

Caroline Pattison, of the St Theresa's Action Group, said: "Parents are up in arms about this, it's absolutely, totally unfair."

There will be a public meeting at St Theresa's Church on Monday, at 6.30pm, to discuss the protest walk.