Transport bosses are proposing to spend £1 million slashing fares to give thousands of youngsters half-price public transport.

Currently, just ten per cent of the 120,000 pupils in West Sussex receive help with transport and qualification for concessions is based on how far away they live from school and means testing.

But the county council wants to encourage a "bus culture" among young people and reduce the number of cars on the school run by offering concessionary fares for all pupils aged over 16.

Half-price fares would be available throughout the day and even at weekends.

It is envisaged the scheme will eventually become part of a smart card service, offering young people access to other county council services and discounts in shops.

The proposal could lead to an estimated 338,500 extra bus journeys a year in West Sussex.

Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton, West Sussex Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: "The Government, which will provide much of the funding for the plan, has asked us to be bold with our proposals. I believe that in offering concessionary fares for the vast majority of our young people we will be doing just that."

The scheme is one of several new initiatives included in a draft ten-year Transport Plan for West Sussex due to start in April 2006.

The plan is still only at a provisional stage and will form the basis by which the Government will decide how much money West Sussex County Council will get towards highway and transport schemes.

The Sutton Trust, an influential education charity, has argued in a report that providing transport for all pupils would cut congestion by 20 per cent as well as reducing the rates of serious injuries and deaths of young people and emissions from cars.

It would also give pupils from less advantaged backgrounds greater choice in where they study. The charity argues that, at present, choice is only really available to more affluent families who have the time and resources to transport their children to better schools further afield.

Meanwhile, one of the most rural parts of the county is to get a new £27,000 public transport service offering cheap taxi fares.

Village Transport Link will run in Billingshurst, Wisborough Green, Kirdford, Plaistow, Ifold, Loxwood, Coneyhurst, Barns Green, Brooks Green, Coolham, Shipley, Broomers Corner, Whitehall, Inghams Furze, Dragons Green, Newpound Common and Roundstreet Common.

Cabs will make four trips on Mondays and Wednesdays between the villages, six on Friday, including a late eveningservice, and five journeys on a Saturday in the Billingshurst area.

The fare will be fixed at £2 for a single journey and less if passengers book and travel together.

People will be able to prebook journeys using West Sussex County Council's Travel Centre in Midhurst.

The scheme has been developed by a partnership of the county council, Horsham District Council, Chichester District Council, the Billingshurst Community Partnership and the Weald School and is funded to run for an initial 12 months.

The partnership scheme is a direct response to calls for public transport improvements by local residents, and parish councillors.

More details of the service will be issued nearer the launch date, expected to be October 10. Commuters interested in a possible sister scheme offering a shared return taxi service from home to Billingshurst railway station should call Sally Dovey on 01243 756625.