PARENTS of children at faith schools could be handed a £150 a year bill to pay for their youngsters' bus fares.

Cheshire County Council has announced plans to scrap free bus travel to voluntary-aided church schools from September 2007, subject to public consultation.

Instead, parents would be asked to fork out £50 a term travel costs for each youngster.

The charges would cover 53 primary and six secondary schools in Cheshire, including St Thomas More RC High in Crewe.

Some 44 other voluntary-controlled primary schools would be unaffected as they are treated in the same way as community schools for transport provision.

David Rowlands, county council executive member for children's services, said: "We are faced with a difficult financial scenario.

"In 2005-2006, the county council had a total mainstream transport budget of around £8million for its 13,000 pupils.

"Of this, £2million related to transport for 2,680 children to faith schools.

"The proposed charge is estimated to produce £265,000 towards that bill.

"When special needs transport is taken into account, the total budget is almost £16.5million.

"Our Home to School Transport budget has been under constant pressure for several years, mainly due to rising contract prices and we have increased resources by almost £5million since 2002 - an extra 43 per cent - to cope accordingly.

"Our officers have warned that in the current financial year there is further pressure on the transport budget and the council is examining how best to meet it."

From September 2007, the new costs would be applied to reception pupils in Church-aided infant and primary schools, those transferring from Church-aided infant to junior schools, those starting their first year at Church-aided secondary schools, and new county pupils entering a Church-aided school for the first time.

Where the church school is designated as the 'local' school, such as a voluntary-aided school serving the local community, exemptions will apply.

Children already in church-aided primary, infant, junior and secondary schools who receive free school transport will be exempt from charges until they move school.

Consultation with parents began last Thursday and will be completed by August 15 for a final decision in September.

It is believed the outcome could affect parents' decisions on their preferred options for school admissions.

For a hard copy consultation document call 0845 1133311.