AN angry mother says it is 'ridiculous' Hertfordshire County Council has denied her daughter a bus pass, leaving her with no means of travelling almost six miles to school in Harpenden.

Claire Scott, of College Lane, Flamstead, has been forced to drop off her daughter, Alexandra, and pick her up from Roundwood School everyday since the start of term because she has been told she is no longer eligible for a school bus pass, despite benefiting from the service last year.

Mrs Scott applied to renew the 12-year-old's bus pass, but the council, which allocates the bus passes, refused the request saying she had missed the deadline for applications and that school buses were now full. Pam Meade, county council spokeswoman, said school bus places are allocated on a first come, first serve basis, adding that there was no guarantee pupils would be entitled to a bus pass. She insisted Mrs Scott had received a bus pass application form in May.

Mrs Scott said application forms had in previous years been sent automatically to parents of pupils and was unaware of any changes to the process. Alexandra is thought to be among 20 other pupils left stranded because of the shortage of bus places.

Mrs Scott told the Review: "One of the first reasons I was given for Alex not managing to secure a bus pass was due to her application form being handed in late. I have never received any information from the council at all - let alone being given a cut off date for application forms.

"The first I heard of bus passes this year was through talk in the school playground where parents mentioned the fact they'd returned their application forms.

"As I hadn't received anything, I rang up the council the same day.

"It was some time before a form was sent out but, as mentioned previously, I completed it on receipt and returned it immediately.

"From that moment on, not one person has contacted me, either by telephone or letter.

"I think it's ridiculous and it's going to get worse. It's adding to the pollution and it's going to add to the traffic congestion around Roundwood School.

"The way I have been treated by the council is disgusting. I had to keep chasing them for an application form and every week they kept saying 'it's being processed'."

Mrs Scott says she will be forced to rely on friends to give her daughter a lift to school from next week because she starts a teaching training placement in Hatfield.

"On 13 September 2010, I will be working in Hatfield and leaving the house at approximately 6.30am," she explained.

"Although I could re-arrange my route to drop Alex off at school, this is a ridiculous time for her to arrive in the morning. I have no idea when I would be able to pick her up.

"Alex is really stressed thinking she's going to have to do a 12-hour day at school. I have got friends that are helping me out and picking her up, but if I was alone or new to the village I would be completely stuck.

"I am disgusted by the complete lack of communication and lack of regard for my daughter and the 20 others who seem to be in the same situation as myself."

A Hertfordshire County Council spokesperson said: "Mrs Scott was sent an application form, along with all other families who had previously travelled under the assisted place scheme, in May 2010. "Unfortunately a completed application was not received until after all available seats had been allocated.

"Where parents choose to send their children to schools further away from home, rather than their nearest school, they must also take responsibility for ensuring that they can get to and from school.

"While the county council operates a number of concessionary schemes for parents who are not entitled to free travel, such as selling spare seats on buses under the 'assisted' travel scheme, there can never be any guarantee that places will always be available for all families who would like to take advantage of the savings offered."