A MUM says she faces either paying her rent or paying her school transport costs.

“The situation is affecting lots of families on low incomes in rural areas,” said Jade Stickley.

The mum from Stourpaine said Tristan, nine, and Hayden, nine, were previously at Archbishop Wake Primary in Blandford but the family struggled with the cost of bus travel.

She looked for a school closer to home but was told Durweston Primary did not have any spaces.

So the family opted for Milldown Primary School and was given free buses passes because they were a low income family.

However Dorset County Council has now told her that because they are not in the catchment area for Milldown, the children are no longer entitled to any form of subsided transport for the new term.

She said: “We were put in Stourpaine by North Dorset District Council and Signpost Housing Association, they knew our circumstances and the fact that I do not drive.

“Now Dorset County Council is making things even worse.”

She said paying for transport via the council’s coach scheme for all three of her children, one of whom is in pre-school, would cost almost £10 a day.

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “If a child is attending a school on preference grounds there is no duty to provide transport.

“We advise parents of this before they apply.

“Families whose children are eligible for free school meals or who are in receipt of maximum working tax credits are entitled to free transport to their catchment or nearest school, where the distance meets the policy.

“Those who are not entitled to free transport can purchase spare seats on contracted coaches through our concessionary scheme, should they be available.

“Previously, the charge for a concessionary seat was waived for families on a low income and in receipt of benefits.

“However in the face of soaring transport costs and the need to make savings, we have made changes to our concessionary scheme.

“Our new policy brings Dorset in line with other local authorities.”