(Title Image: Wales Online)
It’s an issue five years in the making, but it does finally look like BCBC are going to press ahead with major changes to home-school and home-college transport (pdf).
While the council has a legal responsibility to provide free transport for education, this doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed for every pupil or post-16 student.
Subject to Cabinet approval for a 12-week consultation, the initial proposals include:
- Removing escorts from taxis and minibuses carrying less than eight passengers.
- Withdrawing free transport for pupils living less than 2 miles from a primary school or 3 miles from a secondary school and who also live along an identified safe route to school; this will apply equally to English-medium, Welsh-medium and faith schools.
- Withdrawing all free transport for nursery pupils.
- Withdrawing all free transport for post-16 learners.
- Removing entitlement to free transport for pupils who have siblings eligible for transport under the old rules.
In total, it’s estimated these measures will save £775,000 a year and would be implemented from September 2020 – subject to approval and consultation.
