by political editor Paul Francis

Students aged 16 to 19 will have access to new travel pass from September.

But it will cost them more than £500 under a scheme unveiled by county transport chiefs.

Kent County Council has set out details of its travel pass scheme for 16-to-19-year-olds which will be available to sixth formers, college students and apprentices.

The average cost will be £520 - the equivalent of £10 a week - and the costs to students may be lower depending on whether they are eligible for further support from their own schools and colleges.

The government has allocated schools and colleges £2.4m in bursary funding following the scrapping of educational maintenance allowances.

Education chiefs have recommended that for families on incomes of not more than £16,190, students receive a 50% discount on the charge, but where the family income is above £20,800, the full cost should be paid.

Like KCC’s Freedom Pass, which is available for pupils aged 11-to-16, the pass will allow holders to use it for any travel including weekends and holidays, not just to get to school or college.

The passes will be available from September and the scheme will be administered by schools and colleges.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con) KCC cabinet member for education, said an estimated 3,200 passes would be available.

"The card meets many of the aspirations of the young people who petitioned the council last year, and of the Kent Youth County Council, which has been fully engaged with development of the proposal."

He added: "It will allow card-holders to take part in after school clubs, evening clubs including youth provision, and weekend and part-time work, and trips."

Schools will allow students to pay by instalments to spread the costs.

Anyone who already receive discretionary post-16 home to school transport will continue to get it until they leave their current school, college or work-based learning provider.

The proposal is expected to save KCC more than £1million over the next few years, yet help considerably more students and young people than currently benefit from transport assistance.