Angry villagers are joining forces with parents across the county to lobby against cuts to free school transport.

Under new rules, Year Sevens across Essex will only be entitled to free school transport if they attend their nearest school and this is more than three miles away from home.

Parents in Rayne will be among those affected, as they only live 2.8 miles away from their catchment school, Notley High School.

Their nearest school is Tabor Academy at 2.2 miles away.

Parents group - Rayne Against School Transport Cuts - has criticised Essex County Council for ignoring the school feeder system and not properly consulting parents on the plans which were agreed last spring.

Its petition for Essex County Council to reconsider the cuts has so far gained more than 600 signatures.

The group is forming a united front with parents in Wivenhoe, Brentwood and Bradwell and has created a joint Facebook page where an Essex-wide petition can now be signed.

Following pressure from parents, Julie Young, Labour councillor for Wivenhoe, called for the issue to be debated at Essex County Council’s full council meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

Ann Hooks, chairman of Rayne Against Transport Cuts, said: "We are pushing our county councillors to change and revert back to how things were.

"Hopefully they will bow to public pressure - to rule out our catchment school is totally unfair."

The policy was introduced to provide free school transport for all new Year Sevens from low income families.

Pupils in Year Eight and above already receiving free school transport will continue to receive it.

The Essex-wide petition page can be found here: facebook.com/schooltransportcuts?fref=ts