WEST Sussex County Council is axing its 3-in-1 bus travel card at the end of this year - but financial help will continue for low income families.

The move was made following changes to national legislation, and as part of its savings plan to fill a £44.2million funding shortfall this year.

Help will still be be available for pupils from low income families aged up to 16, who meet the following criteria:

• Existing card holders

• Attending the closest school outside their catchment area

• Not already eligible for free travel to school.

Around 6,000 students in West Sussex use the scheme, which was launched in 2007, and pay £50 for the card, which entitles them to savings on bus travel.

It costs the council £1.2million a year to run.

West Sussex has also pledged to provide financial support for 16-19 year olds from low income families, who use bus travel to attend full-time further education.

It will continue meeting with bus operators, schools and colleges to consider future travel concessions in the absence of the scheme.

Cabinet member for highways and transport, John O’Brien said: “This was a difficult decision to take but we are all living and working in one of the most financially challenging times local government has ever known.

“We are looking at everything we do. 3-in-1 cards are a discretionary service used by only five per cent of eligible schoolchildren and college goers across our county.

“We have to look at the cost of running the overall scheme against the number of people who use it and the ever growing pressures on other areas of our work – especially across our services for children and adults.

“We are taking steps to mitigate the loss of the 3-in-1 card for existing users when it expires on December 31. For families with lower incomes, we are arranging financial help if they attend the nearest school out of catchment and don’t qualify for free travel.

“For families with higher incomes, we are doing everything we can with commercial bus operators to come up with appropriate solutions to lessen the impact on current 3-in-1 card users.”

New and renewal cards will be available, at a reduced price, with an expiry date of December 31.

Further information will be sent to card holders during mid-August and will be available online at www. your3in1.co.uk

Bus users whose current card expires after the deadline will get a partial refund, if applicable, in early 2017.