🚸 **School Transport Drama Splits Village! 🚍🏃♂️**
Parents in St Arvans, Monmouthshire, are up in arms after their kids lost free school transport! Under new council rules, kids living within a certain radius from their school now have to walk—a whopping 55 minutes in some cases. 😓
Mother-of-three, Jenny Sullivan, shared her frustration as her children now tackle a lengthy journey to the Dell Primary School in Chepstow. The new rules increase the minimum walking distance from 1.5 to 2 miles for primary and from 2 to 3 miles for secondary students. Jenny’s eldest has to brave a 50mph road and a shared cycle path to get to school! 🚶♀️🏫
“It’s just not safe or practical for young children to walk that far twice a day,” Jenny said. Besides the long walk, parents are concerned about safety and exposure to emissions. 🌿
What’s making matters worse? The village feels divided. Kids can’t understand why their mates just down the street still get a bus while they don’t. Meanwhile, the council claims routes are safe following a risk assessment, though an independent check is pending. 🤔
Jenny’s juggling childcare costs, potentially £25 a day, and her work schedule while waiting for the appeal outcome. With transport costing £540 annually per child, some parents are feeling the pinch. And with empty seats on passing buses, will the council truly save the £700,000 they project? 💸
Share your thoughts: Should kids endure these long, potentially dangerous walks to school? Is the council’s decision fair, or is there another way to cut costs without compromising safety? 💬
Stay tuned for updates as this heated debate continues. 🌟 #SchoolTransportRow #CommunityVoice #SafetyFirst