TEENAGERS in Abergavenny are struggling to further their education because they are not getting enough money from the local authority for college transport.

Rachel Morgan, of Llanover says Monmouthshire County Council is hampering her daughter's dreams of studying beauty therapy.

Emma Russell, 16, a former pupil at Crickhowell High School can only train at Pontypool College.

Her mum says MCC will only provide a £200 grant to cover her travel expenses. It will cost the student £6.10 a day to travel to college which means the grant will cover just over six weeks of her year-long course.

"I have paid for her school transport all my life and I am annoyed that they won't give her a bus pass or enough money to study," she said.

"Pontypool College is the only place where she can go which means we will have to pay £6.10 a day, not including any price increases during the next two years.

"She is not old enough to drive and won't be 17 until November but even if she does learn to drive, that's another car on the road, another carbon footprint when there's all this talk of helping the environment.

"The government wants 16-year-olds to study in full time education but how can they afford it? I want to know if she went to sixth form in King Henry VIII would have to pay for transport then?"

Monmouth MP David Davies is supporting the teenager and says, "I am extremely concerned about Mrs Morgan's case. I have already taken it up with MCC although I have not had any response yet.

"My understanding is that this has come about because of clarification in Welsh Assembly rules, education has to be paid for by the Welsh Assembly.

"But regardless of who is responsible for paying, Mrs Morgan cannot be expected to find £6.10 to pay for her daughter's education every day."

Former King Henry VIII student Ben Sharpe, 17, from Llanfoist is a promising bricklayer and is just about the start his second year at Ebbw Vale College.

His mum Gina Sharpe says they scrapped a bus pass which covered his costly travelling expenses to the college each day and he has also been given the option of a £200 grant.

She said, "It is not fair, I am furious that we may have to think about whether he can continue his course.

"He can only do it in Ebbw Vale and is suffering because there is no where in Monmouthshire for him to study. It is not his fault it costs £5.10 a day.

"The grant will be given in three instalments, if we are awarded it, which means there's no where near enough to cover his travel for another year."

Ben's mum says he thoroughly enjoys his course and achieved 100 per cent attendance last year.

"He loves it there, the government encourage 16-year-olds to stay on and study.

"We want him to do it but he feels bad because of the cost and it annoys me to see a council underspend of more than £1 million when children need it to go to college."

She said Ben may have to spend his education maintenance allowance on travel when it is supposed to be spent on tools and equipment for the course.

A council spokeswoman said, "The new home to school transport policy means that we pay each eligible post 16 student a £200 travel grant towards their travel.

"Students are then responsible for arranging their travel allowing them to decide how they will reach their school or college, for instance they can use the money for a bike or to help run a car.

"Students who live over ten miles from their school or college or further than half a mile from a suitable public transport service route can claim a further grant up to £60.

"Post 16 students may waive their entitlement to the grant in favour of a concessionary seat on a contracted bus at a charge of £255 per year (to be paid in ten monthly instalments). Some students, although on a full time course, do not need to attend every day and we also found that last year many students using the contacted bus service had to attend all day when they only needed to attend for a small portion of the day.

"The payment of £255 towards a bus pass was the only option available to students last year so the £200 travel grant should be useful to many students.

"The new policy also provides for the payment of a further grant of £100 for low-income households."

Anyone affected by travel grants can contact Mr Davies MP on (01291) 672817, e-mail him on [email protected]">[email protected] or visit http://www.david-daviesmp.co.uk">www.david-daviesmp.co.uk.