A FATHER from Purewell has hit out at Wilts and Dorset after the bus company hiked up fares for children, meaning his son cannot afford to get the bus to school anymore.

Russell Miles, whose 10-year-old son Michael used to pay 80 pence for a return from Purewell Cross to Grove Road to get to school, now has to pay £2.40 after discounts for children travelling before 9am were scrapped.

He said: "I can in no way support this rise in the prices so my son will have to turn up late for school.

"Eighty pence per day was £16 a month in fares, now thanks to some management brainstorming it shall be £48 - that's a £32 rise. In total for the two of us to get the bus, we would have to pay £96 a month, which we can't afford, so we have to walk in every morning.

"In the days of global warming and the carbon footprint what kind of message is Wilts and Dorset sending out to its customers?"

He added: "Surely the school child of this country has a right to affordable transport. Just because they've put up fares in other towns and areas, doesn't give them the right to do it here.

"They may have got away with it so far but it is not too late to U-turn this awful cut-throat approach to making money."

But Wilts and Dorset say they are just bringing Bournemouth and Christchurch in line with other services. The change came into effect on Saturday, April 12.

Chris Harris, public relations officer for Wilts and Dorset said: "The main reason that prices have increased is due to the rising cost of bus fuel.

"In relation to the child discount, since 1973 we have charged full fare for children travelling before 9am on most Wilts and Dorset buses and we are just bringing this area in line.

"Our prices have gone up because as a commercial company we are trying to cover our costs at a time when fuel is extremely expensive."