Council urged to meet quickly on school transport. Critics cite hardship and urge a policy rethink.
Catchment areas still matter for school entry, but the transport rules don’t match. People are pretty upset about this situation. Kids might go to different schools than siblings; some kids may have to travel far, and some must cross remote areas to get to school.
The council said if you want the catchment school, you pay if that school isn’t the closest one. A bus pass would be needed.
A councilor, Bryn Griffiths, wants a meeting about this. He thinks the transport policy is a mess, and other parties also support him. He feels that the policy isn’t saving much money.
Griffiths thinks talking about it is very important and that it can’t wait until May. He also thinks the council could face legal issues; delaying action just makes things worse, and he really wants them to act.
A group called STAG is happy about the meeting. They want the council to rethink things and see harm from the transport cuts. STAG wants councilors to work together.
They want the old catchment system back and wish to end the present mess. Another councilor, Andy Brown, also voiced concerns. Parents now face a difficult choice, and they struggle to do right by their kids.
Brown said that the policy wasn’t thought through well. Greens will work with others to fight the new approach, and he hopes the leadership reconsiders.
Roberta Swiers said she’ll decide on the meeting quickly, and she will decide by the end of the week. The council wants to save money.
The council says its transport costs doubled and that these costs increased a lot since 2018/19. They will review the changes in 2026.