As reported earlier in the year, dire cuts to all aspects of the Cambridgeshire County Council budget mean that anything the council is not legally required to provide is vulnerable.

One of the cuts that people will be understandably concerned about now in the run-up to the new school year is financial assistance toward transport costs for post-16 students. Up until this year, the council has always provided a contribution to transport, by subsidizing bus journeys. While the lion’s share of the very significant cost has always fallen to the passenger (at considerable shock to parents – I remember when it happened in our family!) still, the annual cost was about £110 lower than it might have due to council subsidy. Now that subsidy has been withdrawn.

However, the Cambridgeshire Student Connect rail discount which I brokered with the train operating company First Capital Connect in 2009, offering 50% off the adult fare (compared to 33% elsewhere in the country), continues to be available through the current operator Great Northern, and is cheaper than the subsidized bus deal formerly offered by the council. This can be used on weekends and holidays and anywhere within Cambridgeshire, including the Greater Anglia route. All route details and qualifying state colleges are listed on the Great Northern website; some anomalies include provision for a couple of independent schools including Perse Boys/Girls and King’s Ely. This arrangement is independent of the council.

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