School parents face £200 daily minibus bill in Yorkshire after council cancels bus

The desperate families say it’s left them with no choice but to hire a minibus to take their children to school which would cost more than £200 a day.

Cassie Harper told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the school emailed earlier this month to say a paid-for school bus, which collects seven children from Markington and takes them to Nidderdale High in Patelely Bridge, would no longer be available from the start of the next academic year.

It did not explain the decision but advised that instead, parents could buy a first-come, first-served pass for a bus that goes through Bishop Thornton, which is two miles away from Markington down an unlit road with no footpath.

Ms Harper said that due to work commitments and some parents not having a driving licence this isn’t a viable option.

She also said some of the children who use this current bus route are on the SEND register adding that the council hasn’t considered their wellbeing when making this “drastic change.”

Ms Harper said: “We appreciate that we are out of the catchment area for Nidderdale but given the school relies on these admissions from out-of-catchment pupils it seems unfair. We’re being penalised for choosing to send our children to this high school. Plus this bus route has been happening for many years.

“Had we known this was going to happen then it would have been considered when applying for our children’s places.”

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for education and skills, Amanda

Newbold, said: “Our current home-to-school transport policy provides eligibility for travel assistance for pupils to either their catchment school or their nearest suitable school if they meet the distance or other eligibility criteria.

“Where a child attends a school that is not the nearest or the catchment school for the home address or the school is outside the qualifying distance, parents are responsible for the travel arrangements and costs.

“In some instances, parents are able to purchase a paid permit for a spare seat on an education service, which is arranged for eligible pupils. The terms and conditions of the permit are that it is not for a guaranteed seat and that it can be withdrawn if the seat is then required for an eligible pupil.”