Families were today protesting against a council’s plans to restrict free transport to schoolchildren.

Renfrewshire Council is to end the free services it provides to some secondary pupils as part of budget cuts.

It is claimed the measures will impact on more than 1,000 pupils at six out of 10 schools, leaving some youngsters facing a three-mile walk to class.

Parents and children from one of the affected schools, St Benedict’s, were today protesting in Johnstone town centre.

The Linwood Roman Catholic school also serves Houston, Bridge of Weir, Johnstone, Elders­lie, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch.

And almost 200 people from those areas were gathering at the demonstration in which they were walking to the school to demonstrate how dangerous the journey is for pedestrians.

Hugh Henry Labour MSP for Paisley South said he could understand the parents’ anger.

He said: “There are 10 secondaries and six of them have are having their free transport cut.

“For some of the children it could mean a walk of almost three miles in order to get to school and it would mean them crossing a number of busy roads.”

He said of the move to end the free travel for some pupils living in outlying areas: “It’s a bad decision, it expects pupils to take unnecessary risks on dangerous roads.”

Previously, children living two or more miles from school would qualify for free bus travel.

But since the cuts were announced last month this has been extended to the statutory minimum of three miles.

Mr Henry insisted the authority would not have been forced to make the cutbacks if it hadn’t awarded senior council staff enhanced responsibility payments 18 months ago.

Renfrewshire Council insists it is simply following national guidelines in imposing the transport restrictions.

Councillor Lorraine Cameron education convener said: “Our approach on transport to school is in line with the majority of other councils and with national statutory guidelines.”