WYRE Forest students are taking to the streets today to protest against Government plans to treble university tuition fees.

The demonstration, led by members of Stourport High School’s Sixth Form, will take place outside Kidderminster Town Hall from noon.

Campaigners are expecting support from sixth formers at Bewdley School, Baxter College and King Charles.

Meanwhile at Westminster, MPs will be casting their votes on whether to raise the cap on tuition fees from about £3,000 to £9,000, from 2013.

The proposals have prompted fears that young people from lower income families will be deterred from studying at university.

Tom King, 17, of Stourport Sixth Form’s Student Council, said: “How can they justify students paying fees that are higher than their household income and having debts the size of mortgages? What sort of a start is that for us?”

Another member of the student council, Josh Kay, 17 said a hike in fees would see “a return to the elitism of the past”.

He added: “The burden of debt will discourage many, especially the poorest students."

If the vote is upheld, the changes will affect students currently in year 12.

Kat Hollis, 16, a year 12 student at Stourport, said: “It would definitely be a lot more difficult. I know a lot of people who will struggle. The Government should be investing in our future.”

Hannah Webster,16, also in year 12, said: “I just think it would be too much debt. The Government should make the cuts in other areas. If less people are going to university the employment rates will keep going up.”

Stourport sixth formers are also collecting names for a petition to Wyre Forest’s MP, Mark Garnier.

It urges the Conservative member to vote against the tuition fee rise and already has more than 100 signatures from students, parents, teachers and local councillors.

Mr Garnier said: “I am voting in favour of the proposals because, having spent some time looking into this, it seems the best and most progressive way forward out of an appalling mess left by the outgoing Government.

“What needs to be achieved is that we have sufficient university courses to be able to offer everyone who wants a degree the chance to get one. That can only be achieved by some form of charge on graduates.”

He added: “I will continue to urge that we go to a more progressive solution as our nation’s finances are repaired. I have promised Tom that I will make strong representations to [Business Secretary] Vince Cable.”

Tom, who hopes to study at the London School of Economics next year, added: “Nothing about the plans is fair or progressive. The proposals would pull the rug from under the feet of young people from modest-income households.”

Mark Garnier talks about university fees in his View from Westminster column, to read CLICK HERE