Hundreds of West Sussex pupils will have to pay more to get to school by bus when the new term starts next week.

Bus companies and County Hall have confirmed a special cut-price fares scheme is to be axed.

Last minute talks to try to save the pilot scheme held by county councillor Tex Pemberton ended in failure.

The quarter fares scheme had been operating in Crawley and East Grinstead by Metrobus and in Lancing and Bognor by Stagecoach.

However, a cheap fares scheme operated in Horsham by Arriva is to continue.

West Sussex County Council had hoped the fares scheme could be extended throughout the county as a way of boosting public transport and taking cars off the road at peak times.

Coun Pemberton, the Cabinet member for the environment, said he had a "frank meeting" with the bus companies and everyone had agreed the scheme could not continue.

He said: "It was hoped reduced fares would be balanced by an increase in children travelling at peak periods and during evenings and weekends.

"Unfortunately this did not happen across the board."

But Coun Pemberton said children would still be able to get to school at less than half the price of an adult fare using season tickets issued by the companies.

He said in some parts of the South-East children travelling to school before 9am were paying the full adult rate.

Coun Pemberton added: "Just because this innovative scheme could not continue everywhere is no reason to blame anyone for trying."