PUPILS in Medway will be able to travel for half-fare on the buses before 9am after councillors decided to set aside £250,000 to subsidise them.

It follows a year-long campaign by students, parents, Medway Youth Parliament and a 7,000-signature petition.

The full fares issue has been partly blamed for the high number of parents’ cars causing congestion outside schools each morning.

Announcing the decision, finance portfolio holder Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con) said the £250,000 allocation would enable the scheme to start in September, at the beginning of the new school year.

Kevin Hawkins, commercial manager for Arriva Southern Counties, said they had had three discussions with a working group set up in September.

He said: “I am genuinely pleased it is going to start in September because our postbag is always about fares for children.”

Norman Kemp managing director of Nu-Venture, which runs three yellow school buses on a contract that still has two years to run, said: “I welcome any efforts to make public transport more attractive and user friendly.”

The news delighted members of the Youth Parliament. Chairman Rosie Rowe said: “For us, this is uplifting news our voices have finally been heard on an issue that greatly affects the young people that we represent.

“We do not want to get involved in party politics, but we are extremely grateful to all those who heard our various concerns.”