Pupils from the Canterbury district are calling for “extortionate” school bus fares to be made more affordable.

Annual passes are now seven times more expensive than just nine years ago.

Following several successive price hikes - including an inflation-busting 21% rise from last year - a group of youngsters has formed campaign group Bus4us in a bid to see the cost lowered.

The pupils took their protest to the streets of Canterbury

This year, the Kent County Council Travel Saver for pupils in Years 7 to 11 costs £350 - while sixth form students are able to buy the 16+ Travel Card for £400.

The youngsters say the prices place financial pressure on families. Some of the pupils feel punished for getting into grammar school and guilty about the rising costs for their parents.

The group was launched by pupils from Simon Langton, Barton Court and The Whitstable School as part of their National Citizen Service (NCS) programme.

Amy Stretch, 16, gets the bus to Simon Langton every day from her home in Upstreet along with younger brother Sam - costing her parents £750 in total.

“It’s £400 for me this year and £350 for my brother - £750 in total for my parents,” she said.

“My older siblings only had to pay £50 for the Freedom Pass when they were younger. For all five of them together, when they were 16, it was less than it is for just my brother alone now.”

On Friday, Bus4us protestors marched through the streets of Canterbury to raise awareness of their campaign. Their petition has already amassed about 400 signatures.

“This is something that affects people all across Kent,” explained Amy. “We’re really grateful the county council subsidises the passes, but they’re still so expensive.

“I know some people might say, ‘just go to your local school, and walk’. But my closest is Spires, and that’s not the best school for me - Simon Langton is, and I need to get a bus to get here.

“The education system here is wrong, in that people can take the Kent Test knowing there’s going to be a financial burden on their families if they get to go to grammar school.”

Fellow Bus4us founder Melody Bond says the prices are “especially unfair” on families with many children.

Amy Stretch explains what the group want

“Too often these families are forced to pay in excess of what they can reasonably afford and the subsidies they are given are minimal,” she said.

“A potential solution could be the introduction of a new bus pass that is more affordable but has more limitations.”

Currently, parents must pay for up to two KCC Travel Savers, but any in excess of this are free.

“However this system does not account for children with an age gap,” said Melody. “This scheme is not applicable to households that require both the 11-15 age pass and the 16+ age pass.

“An ideal solution would be to interconnect the two passes and implement further benefits, such as a second child for half price.

“We, as the youth of Kent, and the future of the county, are demanding change.”

Their campaign has received the backing of MP Rosie Duffield, who says bus travel costs are “unreasonably high”.

“It is absurd that parents are having to bear the brunt of costs just to send their children to school,” she said.

Ms Duffield has written to Kent County Council, “asking them to reconsider these costs to no avail”.

“I have written to Kent County Council asking them to reconsider these costs to no avail. However, I commend these young people for standing up against this and support them in their campaign.”

A Kent County Council spokesman said the passes are provided on a discretionary basis and the scheme is “one of the most generous of its kind in the UK”.

The spokesman added: “Although the council remains committed to supporting parents in this way, in recent years, the pressure on local authority budgets has increased, as central government has reduced funding to local authorities by over 40%.”

"Kent County Council has had to “significantly reduce” spending as central government has cut funding to local authorities by 40% in recent years.

“Kent County Council has not been immune from these budget reductions and has therefore had had to significantly reduce what it spends in many areas with a greater focus on statutory functions.

“This is something that affects people all across Kent.” - Amy Stretch

The spokesman said: “Although the council is aware that any increase to cost will be unpopular and represent a challenge to many families, it is vital that we ensure the scheme is established with affordable levels of council subsidy if it is to continue.”

The cost for low income households is £100 per pass, while children in care, care leavers, and young carers are given them for free.

The 16+ Travel Card is different. Bus passengers over the age of 16 attract reimbursement from operators at adult fare rates and as such the costs to the council are greater.

For more information on Bus4us, follow the campaign on Instagram at bus4uskent or Facebook at Busfourus Kent.

To sign the petition, click here