‘Help save bus passes today by contacting your County Councillor and ask for a rethink’ says MP

Local MP Tim Farron has asked local residents to spend five minutes today contacting their local county councillor and call on them to save school transport funding.

Hundreds of families all over South Lakeland will have to pay out £350 a year from September to get their children to and from school after Cumbria County Council cut funding for concessionary transport. Currently 4,875 students aged 16 to 19 get transport support which costs the council £1.5 million a year.

But from September new students will not be eligible for the scheme as the authority cuts it's spending. Tim has been to meet Kendal College students recently to hear their opinions and launch a campaign to save the school transport links.

Tim is asking local residents to join him in lobbying county councillors about the plan. Recently thanks to a community campaign 12 rural bus routes were saved in places like Levens after a strong outcry from Tim and local residents. Tim hopes that when the councillors see the concern from students, parents and families they will change their mind.

To find out who is your local councillor is please visit: councilportal.cumbria.gov.uk/mgFindCouncillor.aspx

Speaking today, Tim said: "Even at this late stage we can save rural transport services. Taking five minutes to email your councillor and asking them to change their mind could really make the difference. Charging young people £350 a year for home-to-school transport will place a further barrier to those in rural areas accessing post-16 education."