Campaign urges school transport protection

Campaign for Better Transport, along with 13 other organisations, have written to the Department for Education and DfT, urging them to take action to protect school and college transport. Public Transport Campaigner from Campaign for Better Transport, Lianna Etkind, said, ‘The recent report, School Transport Matters, has shown that years of devastating cuts to school and college transport by local authorities has really damaged young people’s ability to access education and jobs easily and affordably. Children in rural areas are finding it especially hard as they have fewer and fewer public transport options to get to school or college. Fewer buses also mean parents are having to resort to taking their children by car leading to more congestion and worse air quality. In the absence of ringfenced funding, local authorities are cutting back transport more and more. We are calling on the Government to extend the statutory eligibility for free school or college transport to age 18, and to use the Bus Services Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, as an opportunity to commit to publishing a Bus and Coach Investment Strategy, including a strategy for the future of school and college transport.’