Bridgend Council Votes to Remove School Transport Access for Some Students
Bridgend County Borough Council has given the green light to several amendments to the county’s home-to-school transport policy during an extraordinary meeting. The decision follows a public consultation held earlier this year in July, where the proposed changes faced significant objections.
The revised policy entails the discontinuation of transport services for students who have access to a safe walking route to school within statutory distances of two miles for primary school pupils and three miles for secondary school pupils. Additionally, the new policy will terminate the sibling rule, which previously allowed younger siblings to avail of free transport based on their older siblings’ entitlement. Furthermore, free transport for English-medium nursery children and post-16 students attending English-medium secondary schools will also be removed.
Despite these changes, students in Welsh-medium and faith-based education will still be provided with transport services. Some council members raised concerns about the fairness of this exception, but officials explained that it aligns with the authority’s statutory obligation to promote Welsh medium education, supported by an equality impact assessment.
Councillor Martyn Jones, the cabinet member for education and youth services, acknowledged that the decision-making process was driven by budget constraints imposed on the council. He expressed a commitment to monitoring any unintended consequences arising from the new policy. The updated policy is expected to take effect at the commencement of the next school year in September 2025, with anticipated annual savings of over £1 million for the council.
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