STUDENTS at colleges in North Yorkshire will be forced to pay for school transport after a council cost-cutting scheme was given the green light.

The move means thousands of youngsters in post-16 education will have to pay £304 a year to travel on council-run buses.

The £8-a-week charge will be introduced from September for 3,300 students who use council-run buses - or 30 per cent of those in further education.

The cost-cutting exercise will boost North Yorkshire County Council's coffers by an extra £778,000 a year by 2008/9.

Liberal Democrat councillors had earlier "called-in" the plans, which meant they had to be considered again by a council scrutiny committee. But county councillors yesterday voted to rubber-stamp the decision.

The proposals sparked protests during a month-long consultation exercise, with parents and councillors saying the plan would deter poorer children from college and increase traffic congestion.

Sherburn-in-Elmet councillor Jim Snowball said: "The decision was rushed and ill thought through.

"It lacked any robust analysis about the impact of the charges on students whose families are on low incomes

"It took no notice of the impact on post-16 participation rates, and was based on a highly flawed consultation process."

Updated: 10:12 Saturday, March 18, 2006