PUPILS living in Headley Down will soon be travelling to school safely as Hampshire County Council's free school bus service gets off the ground.
The county council has announced that the service will start on Monday.
Free bus passes have been given to pupils at Mill Chase Community School and Holme Primary School after a school transport appeals panel decided in October that the children's route was not safe to walk.
The scheme was originally due to start by the October half-term, but the county council was unable to find an operator to take the 100 children who applied for the pass.
Spokeswoman Sarette Martin said: "We did have problems finding an operator but Stagecoach Hants and Surrey has allowed its number 18 service to be used by the pupils."
News that the children can start using the free service comes a year after the fight by a small action group for free passes begun.
Pupils had not been entitled to free transport because Mill Chase is 2.8 to 2.9 miles from their homes and Holme Primary School even closer -the limit entitling pupils to passes is three miles.
Mill Chase pupils living in either Headley Down or Heatherlands can apply for a free bus pass but only pupils in Headley Down will receive a free pass to Holme Primary School.