Farron asks Government to pay for school transport

South Lakes MP Tim Farron yesterday met schools minister David Laws MP and asked the government to fund school transport.

Recent changes means that young people have to stay in some form of education or training until they turn 18. However, Cumbria County Council has stopped funding post-16 home-to-school transport, leaving local families to pick up a £1,200 bill.

Tim met David Laws in the Department of Education in London and pressed the case that the government's changes to increase the age of participation in education must be backed up by support, especially for rural areas in helping young people to attend school or college.

In the meeting David promised to look at including the issue in the Liberal Democrats manifesto for the next election, but said that the Conservatives in Government were currently resisting covering the cost.

After the meeting Tim said: "I hope that this meeting will start a process that will ultimately lead to the Government stepping up to the plate and agreeing to support school transport. I will press Conservative colleagues in the coalition to try and get some movement.

"Expecting families to fork out up to £1,200 to allow their son or daughter to get an education is unacceptable. I have long opposed these rising charges and I still do, I am working to find funding to scrap them and allow every young people to and school or college and not nearly bankrupt their family."