A parent has spoken out after different bus pass rulings were applied to two of his children for the same journey to school.

The man, who asked not to be named, said he lives in Billington in the Ribble Valley, where Lancashire County Council has jurisdiction over education.

He lives close to St Augustine’s Roman Catholic High School in Billington, but both his children attend Ribblesdale High School.

His first child was given a free bus for travel when she started at the school, which she has used for several years to complete the 12-mile round trip.

However, as his second child begins at her new school, he has been told he and the girls' mother would have to pay for the bus travel themselves.

Lancashire County Council said travel pass forms are sent when families apply for their nearest school, and the appeal process with this family is ongoing.

The man said the family have lived at the same address for many years, and when he was a child he had to attend a school miles away from home due to the one closest to him being a Roman Catholic faith school.

The parent said: “I went to Ribblesdale even though the nearest school to me is at the bottom of the street, St Augustine’s.

“Back when I moved up to secondary school, St Augustine's was down as my first choice.

“The council did not let me go there and as a result, I was sent to Ribblesdale which requires a bus journey, for which a bus pass was supplied to me.”

He said his children had now gone through a similar route in their education and both attended a Church of England Primary School.

He went on: “The first of my children had the same school path as myself and got sent to Ribblesdale, so she got and still has a valid bus pass for free to travel to Ribblesdale.

“My youngest daughter was also told to go to Ribblesdale High but for some reason, she is not entitled to a free bus pass.

“It is not like we have had a choice where we can send our children. This will cost us around £900 for a term time pass. 

“We are on Universal Credit, and this also will not cover any cost. We appealed the decision and had that turned down.”

Lancashire County Council council's website states the annual cost of a school bus season ticket in the three to eight-mile journey band is £931, or £74.50 a month, which it says is a 20 per cent saving on daily fares.

A Lancashire County Council spokesperson said: "We are currently in discussion with the parent of a pupil at Ribblesdale School regarding a decision not to allocate a school transport bus pass.

"Each year, every Year 7 pupil is assessed in respect of their transport entitlement to the secondary school they are joining in the Autumn Term.

"If parents have applied for the nearest school to their home address where a place could have been offered, they will be sent a travel pass application, if the distance requirements are met. 

"In this instance, a place could have been offered at St Augustine's RC High School, but parents have sought a place at a school that is further away - Ribblesdale High.

"Where there is not an entitlement, based on Department for Education statutory guidance, parents have the right to appeal, and an appeal is currently being processed for consideration by our Independent Transport Appeal Panel.

"The DfE guidance is available on the government website."