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There are calls to allow Shepway students to benefit from the recently introduced Kent County Council free bus pass scheme; only students in what could be considered as the more affluent areas of Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury can currently apply for the card.

Folkestone and Hythe prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Damian Collins, has called for the Kent County Council “Freedom Pass” bus pass for students in school years 7 to 11 to be extended to Shepway, to make it easier for students across the District to access the grammar schools in Folkestone, and other schools of their choice.

He said: “I want parents and students to have the best opportunities to go to the school of their choice. If they get a place at one of our excellent grammar schools, I believe they should be free to take it.

“Many students, particularly those living in rural areas like Romney Marsh, find they are hit by higher school transport costs, if the school of their choice is not their nearest. This can be a significant problem for families with limited financial means."

Kent County Council recently introduced a Freedom Pass that gives the under 16s unlimited bus travel for less than £1 a week.