Thanks to Chris Whitehouse for sharing his opinion on the extension to the consultation period on changes to discretionary concessionary transport to faith schools announced earlier today. In his own words. Ed
We welcome the extension which brings the consultation period closer towards, though still unnecessarily short of the 12 weeks period recommended by Government as best practice for such public consultations. It is testament to the success of the campaigns which have been run to date that the Council has been forced to think again.
Contract for school travel already procured
Although the Council claims still to be consulting on the possibility of withdrawing concessionary travel for 6th form students this September (2011), my understanding of the situation is that it has already procured the contract for the school lift in September, with no provision made for such 6th form travel.
This is grotesquely cynical.
School pupils left stranded?
What this means is that for some pupils, from September with the withdrawal of some buses, there may be no means of public transport for pupils to access sixth forms in time for lessons.
For many students, the removal of concessionary buses will mean that demand far exceeds capacity and students may not be able to board the scheduled service.
Will there be room for six-formers on buses?
Council officers have been advising parents to buy 90 day Southern Vectis permits, which they may do, only to find there is no timely bus on which students can actually use them.
Some examples that have emerged include:
- Totland/Yarmouth/Freshwater etc to Newport and Nodehill, simply not enough room risking students being refused places affecting Carisbrooke, Christ the King and the Sixth Form College
- Arreton to Medina High, just not enough room on the buses so students may be refused boarding
- Bembridge & St Helens, students going to Sandown High, no scheduled bus at all, making it impossible
- Porchfield to Cowes, no scheduled bus available at all
Concerns over sixth form travel provision
Having been an active campaigner defending transport to faith schools, I’m also deeply concerned about the sixth form travel issue.
It’s nonsense to claim to want to drive up aspirations and education standards on the Island whilst at the same time dismantling the transport arrangements which make this possible – leaving sixth formers stranded is unacceptable.
The Council must think again.
Image: Kimberlykv under CC BY 2.0
