STAFF and pupils are celebrating after a bus company stepped in to ensure new pupils get discounted school travel.

The new Year 7 intake at Colne Community School, in Brightlingsea, have been told they will have to pay to get to school when they start in September.

It comes after Essex County Council, which was funding the free transport, decided to axe the service for pupils travelling further than their nearest school.

However, Colchester’s Hedingham Buses, has stepped in to offer discounted rates to all new pupils.

Nardeep Sharma, executive principal at Colne, said he was thrilled.

He said: “We were disgruntled because we believe children should be able to get to school for free because that’s what we do in this country.

“This new policy will only affect children in Year 7 from September. They can still use Essex County Council buses, but would have to pay, whereas children in higher years than them, coming to Colne, would not.

“We are delighted Hedingham has come up trumps. It is a private company which is there to make money, but it didn’t have to do this.”

The county council’s new money-saving policy means free buses are only applicable for a pupil’s nearest school, not any school in their catchment.

Many families in Wivenhoe live a couple of miles nearer Colchester Academy, but have traditionally sent their children to Colne and say it is just as quick to drive them there.

Colne initially thought it had been given a reprieve when the county council said it would look into making an exception.

However, the school was later told pupils would have to pay and there had been a “misunderstanding”.

Pupils who want to use the county council buses will pay £3.50 a day. However, thanks to the deal, they can now use Hedingham buses and pay around £2 a day. It means a saving of £80 a term for parents.

Mr Sharma said: “We entered into talks with Hedingham because they are the major player in Colchester.

“The savings we have made really do beg the question how exactly the council procures its buses and are they getting the best deal?”

Jeff Clayton, general manager at Hedingham Buses, said children would be catching the 87 bus.

He said: “We increased the frequency of our seven-days-aweek service from half-hourly up to every 20 minutes in January, and the new schedule includes new morning and afternoon journeys, which were requested by Colne.

“Our weekly and monthly tickets are available for travel to and from school and work during the week and for leisure at the weekend, without the hassle of buying a new ticket every time you board.

“We look forward to hearing from Colne about interest among parents and students for the new academic year, and this will help us to better gauge prices and times for the service.”