From: Individuals

Date

Message

21/02/24

I was hoping to get an answer to a question regarding the proposed changes in the H2S transport policy.

When my youngest child starts primary school (our catchment school but not the closest by distance in a car), I believe he will not qualify for free transport, is that correct? However, my 2nd child will continue to receive the free transport as she already attends the school and uses the service?

Also, both schools, catchment or closest are inaccessible safely by foot as they require crossing the A64 or walking along a 60mph country road.

Based on the fact that my youngest child would receive free transport for the closest school (not the catchment school he will likely attend) could he not access the same free transport my 2nd child will continue to access at the catchment school?

I have read the policy several times but cannot find any examples of such a situation. I can only find information stating my 2nd will continue to access the transport to avoid disruption and my youngest would not apply. Seems bonkers to think a bus would be put on for one sibling and not the other. 

I will also have my eldest starting secondary school at the same time.

26/02/24

I have received the home to school policy consultation attached to my daughter’s newsletter from her school today.

I wanted to double check the detail of her eligibility regardless of whether the catchment area changes would go ahead or not.

We have already put forward our choices for [REDACTED TEXT] secondary school (Upper Wharfedale) - a decision made knowing that the school transport would be provided for her. Now however, if this change goes ahead, we would be stuck with her attending a school that we can not get her to.

The transport would be provided if she went to the school in Skipton however? (Not possible, since we have already submitted choices)

Could you clarify for me, just to make sure I haven’t read the detail incorrectly?

26/02/24

Please can I check if the information below that is being circulated on the local social media forum is correct?

Currently, our pupils who live in Whitley and Eggborough villages have free transport to Brayton Academy & this secondary school has become a popular choice for our parents. At the opposite end of the scale, there is usually a maximum of 1 child per year that applies for admission to Campsmount (and historically that has been because they have lived in Askern, not the local villages).

I can see that from Whitley & Eggborough school postcode, the closest seconodary school is still Brayton, however, Whitley is a long, linear village with some pupils living in a housing estate at the far end of the village which is over a mile away from the school & this then means Campsmount is closer.

Does this mean that some children who live in the same village & attend the same school will be eligible for free transport to Brayton and some won't?

If you could clarify the correct information it would be appreciated.

1/3/24

I am seeking clarification on the proposal to force pupils away from Settle College due to school transport.

As someone who lives in Ingleton (North Yorkshire) and has children who attend North Yorkshire schools, it would appear that the proposal suggests they will no longer be able to attend their catchment school. We are in Settle College's catchment, pay North Yorkshire Council Tax (and quite the council tax it is...) but are, as the crow flies, closer to QES (an academy) in Kirkby Lonsdale.

I'm assuming this is an error and some wording needs to be altered to say transport will be for their catchment school - said catchment being controlled by North Yorkshire.

If this isn't the case, I can only assume this is a direct attack on Settle College to force it to struggle enough financially to be forced into academisation and out of LA control. This would be somewhat scandalous, so I'm sure it's not the case. I know the official view is money and cost of transport etc, but there's always a back story and there are a growing number of us concerned about what it may be.

6/3/24

My daughter has just accepted a place at Skipton Girls' High School, which is on the same bus route as Skipton Academy. We live in Gargrave. She starts in Yr 7 this September.

SGHS is technically further away than Skipton Academy (which is probably the closest suitable school for her), however they are on the same bus route - will she still qualify for a free bus pass?

I hope that you can answer this, as it's causing me quite a lot of stress and worry. We are on Universal Credits but don't qualify for free school meals, so I don't think we would qualify for any assistance.

09/03/24

To follow up my response on the questionnaire I have a few photos which I would like to share with you! This is the B6270, the road in which we would have to travel on to go to our nearest school in a neighbouring county! Not the school in which we would chose in what would be in our catchment area and we would choose this due to the road conditions going west!! The B6279 is absolutely treacherous at the best of times and it’s bonkers in thinking that you would want the children sending over such a road!! During a snow period along with a cold spell, the road could be closed for up to 2/3 weeks as it is that bad for a gritter to be able to access due to the snowdrifts nearly been up to the bonnet of a tractor!! Winter is not just a couple of days a year, for us winter could last from November and we could get snow as late as April! 

Within these pictures is a car which has attempted to descend down the hill but has got stuck and has had to walk nearly 5 miles to come and get help from us!  

There is also a picture of a van on a recovery truck which my husband had taken. This instance he had to rush to the vets and had to travel on his 4 wheeler quad bike as this was the only way of him been able to make it! This had crashed into another car which had got stuck going up the hill and ended up slipping down and doing a 360 turn and getting wedged into the barrier!! 

There is also a couple of photos which is actually only half a mile from our house at the neighbouring farm and again this did not get treated for a number of days! 

I really hope you do consider this part of the policy whether it be just for our area and send up an easterly direction to Richmond or Leyburn and this is on a road which gets gritted several times a day or just scrap it all together! 

We really do feel like we are getting punished for where we live! We aren’t in a position to relocate to get a nearest school as we have been farming the same farm for 3 generations! 

Regards

9/3/24

I am emailing in regards to the school transport consultation, having now completed the survey, I thought I would email my comments instead of using the comments section on the survey.

In this consultation document there is much focus and consideration on the "safety of walked routes", obviously aimed at those within the 2/3 miles of their school, but no mention of the safety of roads for buses.

I assume this is completely obvious and therefore think it is unnecessary for me to comment, however I would just like to check that these proposed changes won't actually come into place for the children of Upper Swaledale, and their transport arrangements will remain the same, and they will travel down the dale - currently to Richmond School.

This consultation suggests that transport would be provided to 'nearest suitable school' but isn't very clear on what 'suitable' means. The nearest school for Upper Swaledale by road miles is Kirkby Stephen, in Cumbria, but I trust this won't actually be an option that NYCC are considering. The B6270 from Keld to Kirkby Stephen is not a suitable route at all in winter months, which often runs from November through to March. The road is sometimes not gritted at all, due to it being deemed not safe for a gritter. For anyone who lives at the top of Swaledale and experiences first hand how exposed the road is to the extreme weather conditions in winter, it is obvious just how many days school the children would miss if their school transport was over the country border. This would be of huge detriment to their education. The idea of children being transported over a road with a 14% gradient, at 530m altitude to school is simply ridiculous. It is just common sense to continue to take all children of Swaledale down the dale towards Richmond.

I understand the proposed changes are with the aim of saving costs. The current transport situation for the children of Swaledale are as follows:

- A Mini bus from Ravenseat to Gunnerside (10miles), then a coach from Gunnerside to Richmond (17miles). Currently 2 bus contracts, for the whole of Swaledale, with total mileage of 27 miles.

Under the proposed changes, the children of Swaledale would be split, around the Gunnerside area, with the children of Upper Swaledale (Gunnerside up to Ravenseat) being transported to Kirkby Stephen (their nearest school), so the situation for Swaledale would be:

- A Mini bus from Gunnerside to Kirkby Stephen (17miles), plus the existing bus from Gunnerside to Richmond(17miles), so 2 bus contracts, for the whole of Swaledale, with total mileage of 34 miles.

Therefore for this specific community, I cannot see how this would be a cost saving, instead it increases total miles between the 2 buses, as well as travelling over a very unsuitable road.

I appreciate that I am sure there are many other areas in the whole of North Yorkshire where these changes will decrease costs and improve efficiencies, however I trust that the whole point of this being a consultation is to highlight/confirm any exceptions to these very simplistic changes, and Upper Swaledale must be one of them.

The communities living and working in the Dales already face many challenges both logistically and financially for school and work opportunities. Bringing in changes to transport policies like this would completely deter any young families from moving to the area, specifically Upper Swaledale, if their only school options where transport is provided is by travelling over a dangerously high route.

NYCC will surely agree that safety is paramount in defining which school is ‘suitable’.

If parents had to transport their children to the school that is truly suitable (Richmond) then this would have a hugely negative impact on working parents. Many of these working parents have overcome the challenges of maintaining a career alongside raising young children, and if transporting their children from Upper Swaledale to Richmond, two times a day, was to become the only option, this would take 2 hours out of every working day for all of those working parents. There could be almost 20 vehicles travelling 54 miles a day.

I do hope NYCC is not aiming for the dales to become only a museum where tourists visit at weekends, and instead is going to support those who live, work and look after these rural areas.

19/03/24

Good morning,

I hope you are well.

Please can you send me all information you have regarding the proposal of a parent/carer funded school transport from Swaledale to Richmond school/Home to school transport to geographically the closest school .

This should include but not be limited to:

- The outlining and detailed ideas of the proposal

- The desired outcome of NYCC of the proposal

- The minutes of any previous meetings held before todays date

- The dates, times and locations of any future meetings after todays date

- Findings from the previous meetings before todays date

- The ongoing progress of the proposal

- The names of the Council officials that are responsible for the proposal and its orchestration

- Who is ultimately responsible for making the final decision

- Any details of Cumbria council officials that NYCC are loading directly with

- Minutes of any previous meetings held with Cumbria council officials

- Dates, times and locations of any future meetings being held with Cumbria Council officials regarding any of the matters listed above

I hope to receive this at your earliest convenience. However, should I need to obtain this information via a subject access request please inform me ASAP and include details of how this may be obtained.

Should you require any further information from myself please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Best regards

26/03/24

My daughter has just accepted a place at Skipton Girls' High School, which is on the same bus route as Skipton Academy.  We live in Gargrave. She starts in Yr 7 this September. 

SGHS is technically further away than Skipton Academy (which is probably the closest suitable school for her), however they are on the same bus route - will she still qualify for a free bus pass?  

29/03/24

I currently have to pay for a seat on a bus for my daughter who attends Campsmount Secondary School and we live in Womersley, at a cost of £750 for a seat on a morning only.

The school is classed as out of catchment (despite being around 3 miles away). There is still a bus service running in our village that exists for the children that were entitled to transport before the changes in 2019, I can apply to pay for a place on an annual basis but its not guaranteed and at present they are only offering a seat on a morning.

Would the proposed changes effect the current provision for my daughter already in year 8 currently and also how would they effect my daughter due to start Campsmount in September 2024?

The current rules stipulate that my children would be entitled to transport to their catchment school (10 miles away); but not on a bus that already runs, 3 miles away, which seems a complete lack of common sense in terms of expenditure.

If these queries could be clarified it would be much appreciated

09/04/24

I am emailing in regards to the school transport consultation, having now completed the survey, I thought I would email my comments instead of using the comments section on the survey.

I understand the proposed changes are with the aim of saving costs. The current transport situation for the children of Swaledale are as follows:

· A Mini bus from Ravenseat to Gunnerside (10miles), then a coach from Gunnerside to Richmond (17miles). Currently 2 bus contracts, for the whole of Swaledale, with total mileage of 27 miles.

· A Mini bus from Gunnerside to Kirkby Stephen (17miles), plus the existing bus from Gunnerside to Richmond(17miles), so 2 bus contracts, for the whole of Swaledale, with total mileage of 34 miles.

Therefore for this specific community, I cannot see how this would be a cost saving, instead it increases total miles between the 2 buses, as well as travelling over a very unsuitable road.

NYCC will surely agree that safety is paramount in defining which school is ‘suitable’.

I do hope NYCC is not aiming for the dales to become only a museum where tourists visit at weekends, and instead is going to support those who live, work and look after these rural areas.

I look forward to hearing back from you please.

09/04/24

I am emailing about the proposal that children will now only receive free transport to their nearest school.
I live at Muker and have two pre school children. If what is being proposed becomes a reality then they will only receive free transport to Kirkby Stephen secondary school. This would take them over a hill top which would mean they would miss many days of schooling in winter, which would severely affect their education. Tailbridge hill, the descent in to Kirkby Stephen via Nateby does not get gritted as a priority. REDACTED TEXT states the "road is closed regularly in winter due to snow and also from ice on the upper sections forcing our customers to find alternative routes. We call the council to come and clear it but we are told it's not a priority road" please see his full letter attached.
I would urge you to take this in to account and change the proposal to being the nearest school when using Priorty 1 gritting routes. This would be Richmond school, which is the school that historically upper Swaledale children have attended. There is a reason for this as the route to Kirkby Stephen and those over other tops such as Leyburn are wholly unsuitable. In the 1950's when it was brought in that children from Swaledale had to receive secondary education there was only one child attended Kirkby Stephen and not Richmond, REDACTED TEXT

You have a duty of care to provide transport for children to be educated, and if you proceed with this proposal that doesn't take in to account Priority 1 gritting routes then you will be failing in that duty of care to children within rural locations

2 Enclosures:

Enclosure 1: Redacted text After speaking to one of our customers who is a resident in Muker she was sharing her concerns about the road conditions in winter on the B6270 and her children potentially having to travel on it. We are well aware of this issue as the road is closed regularly in winter due to snow on Tailbrigg and also from ice on the upper sections forcing our customers to try and find alternative routes. We call the council to come and clear it but we are told its not a priority road and after a gritter crashed through the barrier and rolled over one year a gritter will not attempt to clear it without a digger alongside now.

Enclosure 2 To whom it may concern: I have heard about taking children from Swaledale to Kirby Stephen School. In winter it is one of the worsed roads in the North of England. I my self many years ago attended that school had to board during the week and could not get home at the weekends in winter for snow many feet deep. Please think about the safety of the children and also the time they will be unable to attend school

10/04/24

As a parent of a child, who is due to start secondary school in September 2025, I need to share my concerns of the proposed transport consultation, and illustrate the impact this would have on my physically disabled son.

My son has complex needs, including a physically disability, speech and language difficulties, and moderate learning difficulties.

Currently, he attends a local mainstream primary school, and I drive him to school every day, as he is unable to walk independently, and uses a walker.

We live in Harrogate, and there is currently only 1 school that is accessible to [REDACTED], buy they can't meet his learning and communication needs. 

All 3 special schools, have a cohort of mainly Neuro Diverse pupils, with large class sizes, and not especially accessible to children using walkers, or who require calm and small classes, because of communication difficulties. My son isn't Neuro Diverse, or Autustic, so they're  definitely not appropriate to him.

As a result, I've been looking for the most appropriate school for over 18 months now. In total I've looked at over 20 schools in North and West Yorkshire, and have found the best school to meet his needs is in West Yorkshire. But going to school in West Yorkshire would require school transport from door to door.

Being directed to the nearest local school wouldn't be appropriate for my son and certainly wouldn't meet his complex needs.

My sons year group will be the first to be impacted by changes to school transport.

My son is unable to travel to school independently, and having to be driven to school by family members would have a really negative impact on his emotional wellbeing. He desperately wants to be independent in getting to school, as does every high school student.

[REDACTED] experiences enough exclusion in life, due to his physical disability, and to further exclude him, from transport, to travel from North Yorkshire, to school in West Yorkshire, that best meets his needs, is utterly unfair.

Please take my concerns on board when your finalising the new school transport policy.

Redacted text

12/04/24

I am writing in response to the current Home to School Transport consultation, of which I have been made aware by a local Councillor.

I am concerned that the proposal to change the current provision's criteria of what constitutes a ‘nearest suitable school’ will lead to the threat of siblings having to be split up in order to access free transport. As a parent and former teacher who lived in rural North Yorkshire for many years, I suspect that this will, in reality, lead to more families using private cars for Home to School Transport, rather than the free buses/pass system.

I understand that this is entirely the aim of this cost-cutting exercise, but it is hardly commensurate with reducing emissions, traffic management and the County’s strive for Net Zero. Unless this proposal sits alongside a raft of carbon-reducing initiatives such as electric buses, improved charge point provision, upscaling of the Active Transport Networks, it is will be counterproductive aiming for a cleaner, greener North Yorkshire.

I urge you to consider not only the financial hardship under which you will be placing families who want nothing more than the best education for their children, but also to adopt a wider, more holistic approach to the question of de-carbonising the overall public and private transport systems in our rural areas.

15/04/24

The council will not see any cost saying whatsoever as the transport companies will just raise their prices. ie, a bus has 10 kids on it, the company charges the council £1 per kid, that is £10 for the bus. The new policy makes 5 kids walk or go in the car, the bus company now needs to charge £2 per kid to pay for that bus to run. The council still pays £10, but now there potentially are 3 extra cars on the road & 2 kids walking & now in danger!

I suppose the plan may work in areas where 2 busses are needed & it gets 1 off the run, or removes some taxis.

Some services just need to be run better, bus companies usually run their old & knackered busses for the school runs anyway. Offer them less money, they need the school run just as much as the council does!(probably more, they are not the ones trying to cut it)

The village & road situation in North Yorkshire is different to London, where everywhere has a footpath & street lighting, around here, were lucky if we have a verge to walk on.

15/04/24

I suppose the plan may work in areas where 2 busses are needed & it gets 1 off the run, or removes some taxis.

The village & road situation in North Yorkshire is different to London, where everywhere has a footpath & street lighting, around here, were lucky if we have a verge to walk on.

While I’m on, recently the bus from Tollerton to Alne primary has had a different driver to usual, my child has pointed out that he always triggers the 30mph speed warning & still doesn’t slow down when it lights up.

Also, there is a female driver on the Tollerton to Easingwold outwood run that my son points out she brakes dangerously hard if anyone is standing up in the isles causing them to fall over, but that may be a police matter?.

18/04/24

 How is it determined where the nearest suitable school is...is this determined at policy setting or is it annually, how do parents find out which is their nearest suitable school for transport under the new plan.  For example we live in Castleton, my children attend caedmon college whitby, the nearest suitable school is guisborough or brotton, but surely we cannot be expected to send out children to either school? But how would we fins this out. 

How can it be more financially viable to change the plan to nearest suitable school, including out of county. This would result in financial loss in the county paying other counties for school places, less children in ny schools. Therefore less funding, less staff, less everything in ny schools. And you're still paying the transport costs to get them to a school out of county. It doesn't make sense?! 

How does this actually save any money at all when rural areas have bus routes that pick up, the bus always runs be there 20 or 40 kids. Does the bus company charge per head? Perhaps you need to adjust the way the bus companies are paid. One flat rate to provide x number of seats transport indefinitely. 

I would like to be doubly sure I am correct in assuming that my child already in secondary education. Will still receive their free transport, have I understood that any child already with a bus pass will keep that and we will not be expected to pay. Can this change at any point.

What is the transport fee, from Castleton to caedmon, be? How is this determined? 

Also, why am I only finding out about this AFTER the meetings have taken place.

Why have schools not been consulted on this when it could have a massive effect on projected intake, on the assumption that those living near county borders will essentially have school options stripped from them based on distance to a school out of county. 

16/4/23

I am writing in response to the current Home to School Transport consultation, of which I have been made aware by a local Councillor.

Yours sincerely,

Parliamentary Candidate for the Green Party , Selby District

21/04/24

I have been given these contact details by my eldest child’s secondary school (King James, Knaresborough), to contact if I have any questions regarding the Home to School Transport Consultation.

I have many questions, but listed below are ones that I would like answering if possible.

I have a child in Y3 at present, so it will potentially affect her once she reaches Y7. I live in a village called Cowthorpe - my eldest child attends King James in Knaresborough in Y8 and my youngest attends Tockwith C of E Primary Academy in Y3.

1. It seems that there will no longer be a choice, as there is currently, for the school to go to if you want to receive H2S transport. Is this the case?

2. There will no longer be catchment schools as such. Everything will be based on the nearest suitable school. Is this the case?

3. “Nearest suitable school” - according to the draft policy this will be regarded as the nearest school to my home address, regardless of whether it is in the same Local Authority or not. Is this correct?

4. Assuming it is correct, then hypothetically, (and the distances might be wrong, and I realise NYC will be releasing a tool to determine where the nearest school is in September);
Cowthorpe to school distances (in miles):
Wetherby High - 4.3
King James’ - 6.5
Boston Spa - 7.4
...various schools…
Tadcaster Grammar - 11.3
If these mileages are correct, then the nearest school is in a neighbouring LA.
Will free H2S transport therefore be made available to the school if in a neighbouring LA?

5. Does the neighbouring LA know about the consultation and the potential effects it will have on their school population?

6. For my child already at KJS, will they be OK and will we still receive free H2S transport and an available bus for their time there, through to Y11?

7. If I have a child in Y6 due to go to KJS in September 2024 will they still receive the free H2S transport through to Y11?

8. If I have a child in Y7 at KJS and another in Y4, will I have to pay for child 2 when the time comes? And then will the bus cease to run after a certain length of time - i.e. after my child in Y7 finishes Y11?

9. Will a pupil who lives in Tockwith and already attends Wetherby High school start to get free H2S transport?

10. Will a bus still go from Tockwith/Cowthorpe to KJS if there are eligible students eg on an EHC plan? And if so, will my child be able to use the bus, albeit having to pay for using it?

11. If due to the changes, most children from one year at Tockwith decide to go to Wetherby High and there are not enough places for one year, will they then get free travel to KJS (or the 2nd school on the mileage list) for the duration of their time there? If in the following year, there are enough places at Wetherby, these children will not be eligible for H2S transport to KJS. If in the following year, there aren’t enough places at Wetherby, will there then be Hs2 transport available to KJS, and so on. So potential there will always be a bus running to KJS bur each year will be under different criteria.

12. If the above is the case, will there be a bus running to Wetherby and KJS potentially every year? If so, obviously there will be no savings.

13. How much does it cost to provide school transport from Tockwith to King James currently? And also how much does it cost to provide the bus from Cowthorpe to King James (that goes via Arkendale, Coneythorpe and Flaxby (756H route))?

14. How much will it cost to provide transport to Wetherby High School for all these children?

15. What is the estimated total of secondary children it will affect per year, and which area(s) in North Yorkshire will be most affected?

I hope you can answer these questions and put my mind at ease (or not!)

25/04/24

Please find attached a substantive response to the consultation. I would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt. I have also completed the online form, which did not provide enough space for this response.

26/04/24

Please could I ask for clarification of one of the points on the new proposed changes for free school transport - what is meant by the county boundaries. I longer matter? Does this mean that a child with a home address in North Yorkshire could be made to go to a school that is in County Durham?

Thank you in advance for your time in answering this matter.