A SIXTH form college should be built in Chorley to cope with the borough's growing number of A-level students, according to Lindsay Hoyle MP.

The call follows a recent decision by county bosses to extend further education travel subsidies after an outcry from parents and schools over potential massive rises in bus fares.

But the increases could be introduced next year leaving parents of Chorley pupils facing bills of up to £600 to send their children to college outside the borough.

Many Chorley children go to sixth forms such as Runshaw College in Leyland which has just opened a new extension block.

And this has prompted Mr Hoyle to call for further education facilities in Chorley. He said: "It was wonderful to see Runshaw open their new extension and it will benefit students who travel to the college from this area.

"But we ought to be looking at developing a sixth form facility within the borough to cope with the rise in numbers of pupils entering further education.

"This would be a wonderful provision for the educational needs of our young people and would cut out a lot of the problems caused by rising travel costs.

"I will continue to pressure Lancashire County Council to keep bus fare subsidies for 16 plus education when the situation is reviewed again next year."

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