Free school bus travel is to be extended to more pupils in a bid to prevent transport costs pricing poorer parents out of popular schools.
The qualifying distance will be cut from three miles to two, helping an estimated 135,000 secondary school pupils.
More than two in five families in social housing cite travel costs - which average £7.29 per pupil per week - as the prime factor in picking a school.
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said: "We want to remove transport as a barrier to parental choice.
"No young person should be prevented from going to school of their choice simply because of travel costs. That's why it is vital to expand the right-to-free school travel for young people from low-income families to give them real choice in applying for schools."
The new duty under the Education Act, which comes into force on April 1 and must be implemented from September 2008, will benefit all secondary pupils entitled to free school meals or those whose parents get the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.
The new rules will also apply to faith schools - benefiting 14,000 youngsters.
As well as improving access, ministers hope the move will also help cut the number of car journeys to school which are believed to have doubled in 20 years.
Lord Adonis also highlighted moves to allow councils to charge pupils up to £1 a day to help pay for a mew duty to promote "sustainable and safe travel" for all pupils.
Pilot bus schemes in 20 areas will also feature tests of other measures such as staggered school opening hours, seat belts and good behaviour agreements.
