Clwyd West Assembly Member Darren Millar has called for a Ministerial Statement on home-to-school transport following changes to arrangements in Denbighshire.
Denbighshire County Council has changed its policy in respect of transport from home to school transport pick-up points leaving many children ineligible for transport for this leg of their journey. Darren fears the changes are putting children in danger and has described the situation as unacceptable.
Speaking in the Senedd this week, he said:
“I’m in receipt of a number of constituency concerns regarding young people who are being forced to travel significant distances along hazardous routes in order to access pick-up points in Denbighshire for home-to-school transport arrangements.
“This is a growing concern; there are many people who are impacted by this and I am concerned that other local authorities may follow suit and put young children in harm’s way. Clearly, the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 was developed on a basis that ought to protect our young people, and I know that that’s the aspiration of all of the Assembly Members on all sides of this Chamber, clearly, Denbighshire’s policy cuts across that aspiration that we all shared and disadvantages young people in my constituency – particularly those in rural areas.
“I’d be very grateful for a ministerial statement to put on record what the Welsh Government’s position is on this important issue.”
Darren has also referred the matter to the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.