Liberal Democrats Speak Up for School Transport

5.35.12pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 11th Jun 2004

Free school transport may soon appear only in our History books

Liberal Democrats are calling on Surrey County Council to oppose government plans to remove free school transport for children in Surrey. The Government is currently consulting Councils across the country about their plans to introduce new legislation for school transport. Liberal Democrats are concerned that the removal of free transport would be a financial blow to many families and would worsen Surrey's traffic congestion problem.

They say the Council should note that:

• The draft School Transport Bill, published in April 2004, would allow Education Authorities to subsidise school transport for children not entitled to free school transport.

• To help fund this scheme, children currently entitled to free school transport would have to pay - unless entitled to free school meals.

• Charging would adversely affect many disadvantaged families in Surrey.

• Car journeys to schools would increase, adding to traffic congestion and pollution.

• The extra traffic would increase the risk to children walking or cycling to school.

Accordingly they are asking the Council:

• To respond to the DfES and DfT consultation opposing the loss of free school transport

• To inform Surrey residents about these proposals, in case they also want to write to the Government about them.

The Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Transport on Surrey County Council, Councillor Janet Maines said:

"Free school transport should not be removed from families that currently rely on the service, many children in the rural areas of Surrey have to travel quite long distances to go to school. This may well drive those families back into their cars. The extra cars on our roads will add thousands of extra tonnes of Carbon Dioxide to our atmosphere and will worsen the, already very bad, traffic congestion we suffer in Surrey's roads."

Councillor Colin Taylor said:

"This would be a financial blow to many of Surrey's families who are already struggling with the high costs of living in the County. Parents will be put under pressure as they try to juggle their working day with the school run, rather than letting their child walk from school alone. I am very worried that, by taking away the right to free transport, the Government is almost giving children an excuse to miss school, be late and play truant."

Related Link:

"Save our School Buses! - Sign the Petition!"