Walking the extra mile

Farrell Perks

Every now and then, I come across a group of people fighting for a cause so passionately that it inspires me to look closer. Often these causes are worlds away from me personally, and so I spend a while admiring the voracity of those fighting for what they believe in, and ultimately move on. This was until I discovered a group seeking safety and security for their children in Rhondda Cynon Taff, my own backyard. What I found in this group was a collection of parents fighting tooth and nail, not just for their children, but all those in their community as well.

This is their story, their fight, and my way of trying to help their cause in whatever way I can.

The Problem

The local council currently provides free school transport for secondary school and college kids who live 2 or more miles from their school. They are now planning to change this so they only provide this to those living 3 or more miles away. This change will affect an estimated 1000 students in the area.

The reasons provided for this change are varied, but they boil down to mostly one thing, the council wants to save money.

The council estimates that this will result in savings of about £2.5m, or roughly £2500 per child that will be affected. They’ve argued that up until this change, they had offered generous transport options for children with the 2-mile limit since the Welsh Government guidelines state 3 miles is the baseline.

However, I don’t imagine that will be of much comfort to the families who now have to prepare for further transport costs for their children in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Alongside the issue of the cost of this being foisted onto the parents, many are angry about the lack of response from the council following a consultation they themselves put out on this very issue. The consultation ran for almost 3 months and received 2858 responses. Arguably the most important result from this consultation was a staggering 79% of respondents disagreeing with the proposed changes to transport – It seems as though the council didn’t do anything with this information, and had only held a consultation in order to later say that they had done so, unfortunately not uncommon.

The Economic Reality

With the council seeking savings of around £2.5m, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that these costs will end up on the shoulders of these children who are missing out instead. The group fighting this change has estimated that the cheapest way to pay for their child to go to school via public transport would cost around £12.50 per child, per week. With the average number of children per family being 2, that’s £25 per week of extra costs for a family, or put another way, upwards of £125 a month, something that a lot of parents down here can’t really afford to pay without going into debt.

It’s not just about the money, though. The ripple effects of this decision are far-reaching. Parents are faced with the tough choice of either paying the additional transport costs or finding alternative means to get their children to school, which often means taking time off work. This isn’t feasible for many, particularly single parents or those working multiple jobs to make ends meet. Moreover, this decision disproportionately affects low-income families. For those already struggling to cover basic necessities, an additional £125 a month is a significant burden. To me, this is a stark reminder that austerity measures often hit the most vulnerable the hardest, exacerbating existing inequalities.

The Voices

Another major concern is the safety of the children, who will now have to walk longer distances to get to school. The council’s calculation of distances “as the crow flies” doesn’t take into account the actual routes these children will have to walk, which can be significantly longer and potentially unsafe. In some areas, paths are poorly lit, lack proper pavements, or are simply not suitable for walking, especially during the winter months when daylight hours are short and paths are often icey.

At the spearhead of this movement are three incredibly hard-working parents, Laura, Kayleigh & Tina. I’ve worked with them personally now for a while, so I can absolutely vouch for their passion and drive, but I’ll let them say their piece here, as I’m quite sure they’ve had about enough of people speaking for them.

Laura: “I’m one of the mothers fighting this cut to school transport. My children, like others, will now have to suffer the long and unsafe road to school. I recently did a video of my walk from my home, 2.7 miles to the school, with my son. We encountered few traffic lights or zebra crossings, parked cars on pavements, and busy roads. It took us roughly 1 hour and 10 minutes. There’s one bus at 8:08 am, a 32-seater for over 100 children. The next bus at 8:40 am would make them late, resulting in detentions and fines. The fare is £42 a month per child, meaning I’d spend £84 a month for both my children. My child has chest issues, which worries me in bad weather. Removing this system impacts their safety and education. I am fighting for my children and all others. Please don’t give up, we need to stand loud and proud for our children’s sake.”

Kayleigh: “This will impact me and my son when this comes into effect. My son will be in the most important year in school, year 11. I was made redundant recently due to budget cuts to the primary school I was working in. My son is 14, and I also have a 1-year-old. As well as being made redundant and dealing with the cost of living, the affordability of paying £60+ a month for a bus pass is another bill I can’t afford. My son is physically unable to walk due to medical reasons – he has a number of physical disabilities alongside other physical conditions. He cannot walk the 6 miles there and back. I do have a car, but there are days when the baby is unwell, so I can’t drive my son to school. Then there are extra costs in the car, uniforms, and keeping clothes dry. As a parent, I felt safe with the school bus picking up and dropping off, but now he will have to make his own way. Public buses are unreliable, and if he’s late due to full buses, fixed penalty notices will come my way, which is out of our control.”

Tina: “I am Tina, one of the parents fighting the decision. People wonder why I am doing this, as it doesn’t affect my child. I am fighting for my child’s friends and every other child, to give them a chance at an education. The safety of the journey, underlying health conditions, safeguarding the child, and increasing poverty are all concerns. After walking over an hour to school because there was no room on the only bus, children can’t concentrate, feel tired, and deal with heavy school bags, bad weather, and potential danger. Schools face extra pressure on teaching staff and increased absenteeism, with lower budgets due to lack of grades. Coach drivers may lose their jobs as bus routes are cancelled; one bus firm alone will lose 14 routes. With more traffic on the roads, parents or family members driving their children will cause more traffic jams and longer journeys, contributing to climate change. The more noise we make, the more pressure we apply.”

Community Response

The parents’ group has been proactive in gathering support and evidence, with their petition garnering almost 1,500 signatures alongside two surveys. The first multi-choice survey, with 751 responses, highlighted critical issues such as the number of buses required, the time it would take to walk, and major concerns including bad weather, wet clothes, and unsafe routes – Issues over 80% of respondents said they were very concerned about.

Again, something that the council would know already if they were to follow up on the consultation they held previously. A staggering 284 parents reported that it would take over an hour for their children to walk to school using the shortest route. The second survey, focused on a parent’s risk assessment, received 131 responses, identifying issues like lack of safe crossings, poorly lit areas, and the physical burden of carrying heavy school bags, and this is all information the parents retain.

The health implications are also alarming, with children with asthma, ADHD, autism, and various inflammatory diseases particularly at risk. Parents have noted: “Asthma concerns about walking up steep inclines could put added pressure on children’s health and breathing.” highlighting the vulnerabilities of children with ADHD and autism, such as a lack of perception of danger and increased anxiety. The parents have also reached out to bus companies and schools, only to find that some bus companies might lose routes and drivers, and schools are limited in their response. Public transport issues throughout the South Wales Valleys, including infrequent services and overcrowded buses, further complicate the situation.

Despite the challenges, the parents remain determined. They have contacted the Welsh Children’s Commissioner and are seeking further support. They are also considering a compromise, asking if parents would be open to part-payment for home-to-school transport, with 44% of 873 respondents indicating some willingness to consider this option. Their fight is not just for their own children but for the entire community. As Tina passionately put during a speech at one of many community meetings the group has held, “We need to protect all the children affected. This is about their safety, their health, and their right to education without added burdens”. In my opinion, the decision by the council to change the free school transport policy is not just a budgetary issue; it’s a matter of safety, equity, and the well-being of children. The parents’ group is a testament to the power of community and the lengths to which people will go to protect their children. Their fight is a reminder that policy decisions must consider the human impact, especially on those most vulnerable.