North Lanarkshire Council has decided to form a working group to reassess the criteria for determining school transportation and walking routes to prioritize child safety. This decision comes after months of concerns raised by parents regarding the existing policy.
The new member/officer working group, established following a successful SNP motion, will review transportation policies and eligibility criteria. The group is expected to present its findings to the education committee in February, ahead of the planned cuts to primary school bus routes in August 2025. Any changes agreed upon by the group will also be applied retroactively to secondary bus routes.
Parents, who have been campaigning against the bus cuts since 2023, are hopeful that the working group will address their safety concerns. Kerry Anne Ferrie of the Cathedral Primary Parent Bus Group sees this as a positive step but believes more needs to be done to ensure that children are not unfairly affected.
Lorraine Kerr, chair of the Stepps Primary Parent Council, expressed gratitude for the formation of the working group and stressed the importance of considering critical factors like pavement condition, lighting, and visibility when evaluating walking routes. She echoed calls for parents to have a seat at the table and emphasized the need for swift action in reassessing high school routes.
The SNP Group Leader Tracy Carragher highlighted the importance of the working group in ensuring the robustness of safety assessments for walking routes. While the group’s recommendations may lead to the reinstatement of some cut routes, the overall decision to reduce eligibility remains unchanged.
Despite the positive steps taken by the council, concerns still linger among parents about the adequacy of current walking route assessments. The council’s spokesperson assured that the working group will thoroughly review the criteria for providing school transport with a focus on pupil safety.
As the working group begins its task, parents are hopeful that their input will be considered, and changes will be made to prioritize the safety of children traveling to school. The reassessment of transportation policies and walking routes is a significant step towards addressing the concerns raised by the community and ensuring a safe environment for students.