PARENTS who are forking out anything from £41 to £83 a month to send their child to school on the bus are demanding an affordable scheme is set up.

The action group, Fight For Fair Fares, has been formed to challenge the price increases made by Stagecoach at the start of the year.

READ MORE: Barrow school bus service cancelled 'without warning,' leaving children stranded

Residents are calling on the bus company to introduce term-time discounts for child passengers after the four-week Barrow Megarider ticket increased by almost 28 per cent to £40.99.

The Megarider Plus fare, which covers routes from outside the Barrow pay zone such as Dalton and Ulverston, now costs £82.99 a month. This fare covers many Dowdales pupils travelling between the two zones.

Stagecoach does not currently operate child monthly products in the area, saying to do so would be a "discount on a discount".

However, a petition calling on the company to listen to the community and offer special rates for schoolchildren has so far attracted more than 350 signatures.

Joanna Brady, one of the campaigners, said: "It's morally and ethically wrong. They are raking it in off kids.

"They are taking advantage of our area."

Parents say the full-price adult weekly and monthly tickets are made even less affordable by the fact their children are unlikely to use them on weekends so a 28-day Megarider ticket will only get 20 daily uses for example.

They want a version which takes school days and times into account and saves them wasting money.

Walney resident Nicola Green said the cost of sending her child to St Bernard's School in Rating Lane had risen by roughly £9 a month due to the fare increases.

She said: "It's not fair. They are charging adult prices for kids. It's discrimination.

"The whole structure of their prices doesn't make sense. To me they rely on kids to fund the other buses.

"Can you imagine next year? When does it stop?"

The change.org petition, which has attracted support from across Cumbria, states: "Our children require a child priced pass, payable monthly or weekly either online or from the bus driver which would cover school travel Monday to Friday during term times."

VIEW THE PETITION HERE

Many comments online by parents said they were pooling taxis together.

A Barrow child Dayrider ticket costs £2.20, which works out at £44 for 20 daily uses.

A Barrow adult seven-day Megarider ticket costs £10.60, which works out at £42.40 for a month.

Stagecoach statement in full


A Stagecoach bus. A spokesman for Stagecoach: "We never like having to increase prices but unfortunately having held fares since the spring of 2015 cost increases have meant we have had to act.

"The Barrow Megarider four-week ticket gives a discount over buying individual weekly tickets which in themselves give a discount over buying daily or single and return fares. This discount was a lot greater than that offered in other areas for four weeks of travel and is no longer sustainable.

"The new price still compares favourably with other comparable towns in England.

"We have managed to keep the increases on daily and weekly tickets at a lower level and our day ticket at £3.20 is the same price as it was in 2013.

"We offer an under 19 Dayrider priced at £2.20 which is a saving of over 30 per cent on the adult price however we are not able to offer child weekly and monthly products in most cases as the discounts are already great over single and return prices. To offer a child version would be discount on a discount.

"It should be noted that the adult four-week Megarider in Barrow is actually cheaper than child tickets in some comparable locations."

The new prices

Adult Dayrider: £3.20

Under 19 Dayrider: £2.20

Adult Dayrider plus: £6.90

Under 19 Dayrider plus: £4.40

Barrow seven-day Megarider: £10.60

Barrow seven-day Megarider plus: £21.50

Barrow 28-day Megarider: £40.99

Barrow 28-day Megarider plus: £82.99

Ulverston Dayrider: £3

Ulverston seven-day Megarider: £10

*Plus tickets operate outside more than one zone.