A group of parents are campaigning against the high travel costs their children are paying to attend Strode’s College in Egham.

The price of a weekly ticket for students travelling the 20-minute journey from Richmond to Egham is £42 per week; a total of £1,680 for the academic year. A peak-time, London zone 1 to 6 travel card for a working adult is £52 per week.

Kate Montagu, a Richmond parent whose son attends the college, said: “It just does not seem fair that our young people, starting their student lives, should pay full adult train prices.”

Marie Hawthorne, who has a daughter in her first year at Strode’s, is passionate about the campaign, now entering its second school year.

She said: “This is an extortionate sum of money for a child to pay to travel to school, also bearing in mind that in 2013 post-16 education becomes compulsory.”

Options for the students appear to be limited. Child fares are unavailable because they are over the age of 16 and, although National Rail offers a 16 to 25 Young Person’s Railcard, this cannot be used prior to 9.30am so offers no subsidy for students.

Lindsey Smith, whose daughter is in her second year at the college, was also frustrated at the situation.

She said: “I am now making sure anyone I know who is considering Strode’s is aware of the huge cost of going there.”

Richmond College does not provide all the subjects students might want to study and there is little other sixth form provision at the moment.

Mrs Hawthorne said: “One option is no choice.”

A South West Trains spokesman said: “Discount schemes for students aged 16 and above for travel on public transport are funded by local authorities.

“Some local authorities have season ticket discount schemes in place for those in full-time education and fund the revenue shortfall to rail and bus operators that their scheme creates. 

“In this case, if [the students] are residents of Richmond, they need to speak to Richmond Council.”

A Richmond Council spokesman said: “The council has a statutory duty to consider applications for financial assistance with travel to and from post-16 schools and colleges, but is unable to fund all young people’s travel arrangements to college and therefore has a travel award scheme for borough students aged 16 to 19 who are in most need.

“The eligibility criteria for the travel award scheme will be reviewed in light of the current work to introduce sixth forms to all state secondary schools in the borough by September 2014.”

Visit richmond.gov.uk to find out more.

The parents have approached Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park and north Kingston, on the issue, but despite offering his sympathies, he has failed to offer a workable solution.