AS far as I can see Worcestershire County Council Policy on school transport for Evesham has been based on two specific elements.

Firstly a fear that giving free transport to the non-designated school "could affect the designated school whose numbers could drop by introducing any policy change" and secondly that there "could be financial implications if such a policy was implemented on a county wide basis". Quoting a letter from J Kramer to Peter Luff MP dated 3/10/2000).

Parents have a statutory right under the School Standards and Framework act 1998 to "express a preference for their children to be admitted to a school of their choice". Is it ethical therefore to deliberately form a policy to undermine this freedom of choice? We are the taxpayers and there is provision in the transport budget for our children to go to the designated school. Why not give parents the opportunity to pay any additional transport costs to their preferred school?

That would surely be a fair and equitable compromise and reduce congestion on the roads in line with the Government's Travelling to School initiative.

GINA CARR, Froglands Lane, Cleeve Prior, Evesham.