School bus pass costs increase

The cost of school bus passes is to rise in Kent, with low-income families hit by a fare hike of 12.5%.

A subsidised ticket will go from £120 to £135 in 2025 – 26, while the full rate jumps from £550 to £580, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Kent County Council (KCC) runs the Kent Travel Saver (KTS) scheme; this has seen the full price rise from £450 to £580 in just three years.

Parents and opposition councillors have criticised the new prices, but the ruling Conservatives said funding from the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) had kept the increases lower.