A mother in Castle Acre, west Norfolk, was advised by Norfolk County Council's webchat to consider home-schooling her child after she sought support regarding a 150% increase in bus fares. Caroline Ashley, a single parent, described herself as "flabbergasted" by the suggestion, which the council later confirmed was given by a human, not AI, and has since apologised for.
The cost of a single bus ticket for her 13-year-old daughter, Ellie, to Litcham School has risen from £2 to £5, with a return ticket now costing £8. This increase could amount to approximately £1,520 annually for the average 190 school days.
Central Connect, the national transport group that acquired local company Konectbus this year, stated that fares have increased due to fuel rises and inherited "legacy fares" that meant certain routes were running at a loss. The company also cited wage increases. The government's £3 single fare cap does not apply to dedicated school services.
Other parents in the region have also complained about similar fare increases, with some, like Laura Patrick, changing their work hours to drive their children to school due to the cost. Parents have also expressed frustration over the lack of warning about the fare hikes.
Ben Phillips, head of Litcham School, called for a review of the fare increases and urged Central Connect to explore ways to assist disadvantaged students, noting that parents and schools need advance notice of such significant price changes.