North Yorkshire Council, meanwhile, has recently updated its home to school transport policy. This change has led to considerable alarm among families who are based in villages outside of York. The changes went into effect this past summer. Instead, most families today are left concerned and discouraged as they step into a more dangerous transportation environment with their kids. The council made the policy change to save an estimated £4 million. Parents and caregivers, as well as civil rights advocates, are raising alarm about its impact and equity.
Under the updated policy, only students who go to their default local school qualify for free transport. Under the old policy, students were transported for free to schools in their catchment area of choice. This momentous new development affects all children starting school in North Yorkshire. Secondary school pupils are still entitled to free transport if they reside more than three miles from any educational institution. Families are left to deal with the crisis of needing to buy children bus passes for the distance that they can no longer have free transportation.
The council has focused on financial limitations as their main argument for this policy change. They highlighted the need for urgency in achieving these transformations. Without them, increasing expenses for home to school travel could undercut other vital services mandated by law.
“Our home to school transport policy is designed to be fair and consistent for families across North Yorkshire.” – North Yorkshire Council
The change has not come without controversy. Families have seen differences due to the council’s old mapping software. This has led to misinformation even about how far kids have to walk to get to their schools. Ruth’s son, Henry, encountered an unforeseen obstacle. He lost access to a free bus pass due to the planning error. A new pedestrian gate that has been located by Tadcaster Grammar for more than five years only brought the school within 27 meters, but the council argues that they didn’t know it was there.
Kathy Finley’s daughter, Ciel, faced discrimination in her first school. It’s a little too far, but not that much! It’s just over the local authority border into York. Kathy reported spending significant time off work during the school holidays investigating the policy and its implications for her daughter.
“When they applied the policy, the gate – in their knowledge – didn’t exist, so despite the gate being present, it doesn’t matter, you lose your appeal.” – Kathy
Kathy was frustrated, too, because chosen council members hadn’t reached out to her about Council No. She was concerned this would disqualify her daughter from receiving free transport to school. She explained that she was being punished as a mother for things that she could not control.
“That failure in communication apparently is not their fault and I have to bear the brunt of that as a parent, which is £818 this year.” – Kathy
Another parent, Vic, echoed similar sentiments. Vic stressed the long-time advocacy he and other parents had to undertake to work through the new policy. They doggedly pursued their issues to the city council. He criticized the appeal process as not being rigorous enough.
“For them only to ask one or two questions in the appeal process feels like they didn’t really want to unpick my case.” – Vic
Vic shared how parents have to be detectives just to ensure their kids receive the transportation to school that they deserve. They have assumed this role out of necessity.
“Parents really had to turn into detectives over this policy and continue to do so,” – Vic
The new changes have caused many to wonder how these changes will affect families’ willingness to move into the area. Vic really zeroed in on a very key point. If families can’t easily get their children to school, young families will be put off moving to North Yorkshire.
“If there is no easy way to get your child to school it will definitely affect young families moving into the area,” – Vic
The council’s short response shows they take seriously their responsibility to try to balance their budgetary constraints with an equitable delivery of services. Too often, it is families who feel ignored and overlooked by the very choices that shape their lives every single day.
Affected families are doing their best to figure out the muddlings of the new policy. They’ve been pushing for more transparency in the process and written, individualized consideration of their special situations.
