Voices is the Dorset Echo's weekly youth page, written for young people by young people. If you would like to write an article for Voices, please email alex.cutler@dorsetecho.co.uk for more information.

Education has been compulsory for children over 16 for a while now, and while it has its benefits, it arguably equally has its disadvantages.

For example, some people do not suit the learning environment and would be more productive if they were allowed to work at the age of 16 instead of attending lessons.

However, it is not just students who are affected by this law, it is everyone and everything associated with education too. There are detrimental economic impacts of this law, such as the cost to hire more teachers, more resources and more transport for students.

For a low income family to experience free transport for several years, then getting extortionate fees of nearly £1,000 just so that they can obey the law by sending their students to school is terrible.

Education is not free anymore, this fee is just one on top of other costs associated with education, such as lunch at their college or sixth form centre.

A Dorset father has launched a petition campaigning for free school transport for students in post-16 education. With nearly 1,000 supporters, he should succeed at bringing about justice. However, his campaign could be jeopardised by young vandals who destruct school vehicles.

Travelling fees in the Dorset area must be reduced, for economic, social and environmental reasons. If less people use this transport because they have managed to find a way of using another vehicle such as to car share, then there will be more congestion, thus more environmental damage.

By James Sullivan