It comes as no surprise that people are waking up to the inequitable treatment of students aged 16 to 18, attending York College and using First buses in our city (Why do some students miss out?, Letters, October 1).

Rachel Thistlewood has identified what at first appeared to be an anomaly in the pricing structure of bus travel for these students, between First and City of York Council, but which, having sought action on, can be seen as a deliberate policy to charge these students more.

I uncovered this problem in the summer of 2008, and attempted to get a change of policy through the council to extend the YoZone card to those under 19 years of age and still in full-time education. Although a motion I put was agreed by the council the bus company, perhaps predictably, refused to play ball, anticipating some loss of revenue.

The present situation remains unsatisfactory. While their peers attending the city’s two universities, and those attending school up to the age of 16, benefit from different concessions, these young people who are supposed to be learning about financial independence and sustainable transport choices are being forced to either beg for money from their hard-up parents or opt for other, sometimes more congesting, transport choices.

These younger residents are not second-class citizens and shouldn’t be treated as such. If readers feel strongly enough about this issue, I urge them to write to First York and also contact your local councillor to let them know.

Coun Ruth Potter, Labour transport spokesperson, City of York Council, Chaucer Street, York.