PARENTS in South Craven are being urged to have their say on planned cost-cutting changes to school transport.

North Yorkshire County Council is proposing to up the home-to-school distance, from two to three miles, by which older primary school children qualify for free transport.

Currently all primary-age children living over two miles from their school are eligible.

That will remain unchanged for under-eights and youngsters with special educational needs.

But under the new system, over-eights would have to live more than three miles from school to qualify.

Education bosses, who are looking to save more than £500,000 through the changes, also plan to scrap discretionary payments made to Year 10 and 11 pupils to enable them to continue studying at their school if they move.

County Councillor Arthur Barker, North Yorkshire’s executive member for schools, said: “These proposals will be consulted on and phased in to protect families that already have the provision and those that have made school choices for next year.”

Visit northyorks.gov.uk/schooltransportconsultation for further details. The consultation runs until March 11.