PARENTS could be charged hundreds of pounds a year for school bus passes under controversial plans being drawn up to axe free home-to-school transport.

One local authority in the region has already put forward a proposal to charge up to £200 per child.

North Yorkshire County Council hopes to raise £900,000 in 2013-14 and £800,000 in 2014-15 by introducing the fees.

Durham County Council, which also provides free school buses to thousands of children, failed to rule out introducing more charges.

The council has already announced plans to cut nearly £6m by axing free transport for college students.

Youngsters travelling to faith schools may also have to pay.

The levy being considered by North Yorkshire would be dependant on the Government removing a requirement for local authorities to provide free home-to-school transport for all children aged between five and 16 attending their nearest school.

At present, free bus passes are given to children if they live more than two miles away, if under eight, or three miles for the over-eights.

Ministers have ordered a review of home-to-school transport and the Department for Education confirmed this week that allowing councils to opt out of providing free buses was being considered.

North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) has about 18,000 pupils and students aged between five and 19 who get free or assisted transport to school and college.

The council has already angered the parents of children who attend church schools by proposing fees of between £350 and £700 per child, per year, from September 2012.

County councillor John Blackie said he had seen figures showing that the authority would aim to charge other parents between £100 and £200 a year per child.

“It’s described as a levy, but with a levy you charge everybody – this is a tax on living in a rural area,” he said.

“Someone with three children could be paying between £300 and £600 a year.

“For this to be suggested in England’s most rural county, there will be a huge public outcry and there needs to be.”

NYCC children and young people’s service department needs to save more than £18m by 2014-15.

The potential savings by introducing a levy on bus passes was included in a review of cost-cutting proposals that went before members last month.

Andrew Terry, NYCC assistant director of children and young people’s service, said the report contained target figures and any levy would be dependant on the outcome of the Government review.

He said: “Members have indicated that if they have the powers following this review, they would look at introducing a levy on a larger number of parents than those of children attending denominational schools. This could be parents who currently get free transport.” He said a decision on the amount of the levy, who would be affected – including the ages of children – would only be taken after a consultation exercise.

Kevin Procter, of Procters Coaches, in Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire, provides school buses across North Yorkshire and Teesside.

He said transport companies were aware of the proposals, adding: “We are all dreading it if it does happen.

We are used to knowing where we are getting paid from and when.”

Maureen Clare, Durham County Council’s head of access and inclusion services, said the council was reviewing all service areas in order to find savings of £120m over the next four years.

She said: “Until this review is complete, it is not possible to say whether there will be changes to our home-toschool transport policy.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education confirmed that giving councils the discretion to charge for home-to-school transport was being considered.

She said: “The Secretary of State recently announced a review of home-to-school transport so that we can better meet the needs not only of disadvantaged families, but all families, ensuring transport is properly targeted to those who need it most.”