PARENTS who fear for the safety of children walking to school or taking public transport are set to fight council proposals to cut the school bus service.
A cost-cutting bid made as part of the recent budget could see children aged as young as five walk up to two miles to and from school each day because of transport changes which will affect 900 children — 400 primary and 500 secondary.
After the s
ummer break, free bus travel will only be offered to secondary pupils living three miles away from their school — as opposed to the present two miles.
Primary children have been enjoying free travel if they live one mile away from school and that will now apply only if they live two miles away.
However parents are questioning if the saving will be worth the sacrifice — not just in the area of child safety but also the cost to the environment.
Mum Lucy Hartley, of Speirs Road, Bearsden, told the Herald: "It's very disappointing that the council is taking this step at a time when we are all being encouraged to reduce car use in the interests of both personal health and the environment. I fail to see how cutting the school bus service contributes to 'mainstreaming sustainable development' or 'supporting green travel' and I should think maintaining it would reduce local car traffic by a good deal more than the council's employee tax free cycle scheme."
Councillor Ian Mackay, SNP group leader on the council, said: "I understand and sympathise with parents' concerns — it's worrying to think of tots of barely five walking up to two miles each way every day if their parents don't have a car.
"In our budget settlement we also had the proposal to bring the secondary school distance within guidelines, but the primary provision was to remain at two miles.
"During the budget discussion it was disclosed there was extra money unspent by the administration and we immediately made changes to our proposals which would have seen off personal care charges for the vulnerable and left the transport service unchanged — however the coalition Tory/Labour administration budget won through."
Ascertaining if they fall within the distance to qualify for the curtailed service is complicated for families as the Safer Route to School policy comes into play.
Mrs Hartley said: "To make sure if we were affected I contacted the education offices I was told it might well be July before affected families have their position confirmed.
"This is obviously quite short notice to change work arrangements for August if necessary — or possible."
A council spokesman said: "When the roads service has completed safety reports for walking routes and those routes have been measured, a letter will be issued to parents advising that their child/children, under the new criteria, will no longer be entitled to free transport.
"All schools have lists of approved contractors and this information along with additional guidance will be placed on the council's web site to allow parents to consider or investigate 'parent run school transport' as one example of alternative arrangements."
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