School bus cut

[Ironwithin]

Parents could take turns running them or parents could band together to get mini buses/buses. I dont see why the Council should have to pay if you live so close to a school.

[JustMe]

Another thing to consider is the wind. Not good to get a child blown into the path of a car or blown out to sea. And I have come close to ending up in the ditch walking to my local shop when caught by a strong gust.

 

Am wondering if this is just the withdrawal of one bus or the start of a money saving plan to withdraw all "optional" school buses. Not my idea of the best way to reduce budgets.

[Colin]

Does the council not have a legal obligation to provide school transport for pupils who live more than a certain distance from their school?

 

Not sure of the distance but, 3 miles is surely out side of it.

 

The council, I believe, also have a 'Duty of Care' and should, at least, make sure that your kids are safe.

 

Personally, I would write to the council advising them that, if they stopped the school bus, I would no longer be sending my kids to the school as I considered the journey far to hazardous for young children.

[JustMe]

Parents could take turns running them or parents could band together to get mini buses/buses. I dont see why the Council should have to pay if you live so close to a school.

Perhaps a good enough reason is that the council has not provided roads that are safe for pedestrians.

[shetlandpeat]

Councils provide transport due to the rural nature of the residents. Stops children walking for an hour in the wind and rain. Even more so when there are no pavements and the road is well used. I was going to mention the wind. Thanks.

I hope there is not a case where some ones job could be at risk because of these changes. I would imagine there are already pooling points for children to catch the bus, or any other bus service that could be cut, a parent may start later at work and be able to look after the pupils until the bus picks them up while other parents start earlier.

You need to find this out Paul.

[unlinkedstudent]

the bus to skeld school.

 

so you think a 6 mile walk for 8 year olds and 4 for under 8s in all weathers on single track roads is safe. i think your an idiot. bet your in lerwick

 

Can I enquire as to the starting point of the bus journey because from your village to Skeld Primary, according to GoogleEarth, is nowhere near 6 miles and is much less?

 

Yes, single track road but nothing like, for example, children having to walk along parts of the main road. Granted, it only takes one car, etc., so can understand to a degree.

 

If the intention is to cut out other rural school buses, I wonder if they have considered that with so many children subsequently arriving on foot that where schools are located on/near the main road that they might have to employ a lollypop wo/man and therefore don't actually save any dosh.

[shetlandpeat]

the bus to skeld school.

 

so you think a 6 mile walk for 8 year olds and 4 for under 8s in all weathers on single track roads is safe.

 

Can I enquire as to the starting point of the bus journey because from your village to Skeld Primary, according to GoogleEarth, is nowhere near 6 miles and is much less?

 

 

 

Try 3 miles each way.

 

Restrict the road to 20mph at school times and install a crossing.

[ariel]

[quote name="Colin"

Personally' date=' I would write to the council advising them that, if they stopped the school bus, I would no longer be sending my kids to the school as I considered the journey far to hazardous for young children.[/quote]

 

So no exercise and no education. Great parenting.

[beachcaster]

 

Try 3 miles each way.

 

Restrict the road to 20mph at school times and install a crossing.

 

So you want the road within 3 miles of the school restricted to 20mph during school hours?

Is that every road within a 3 mile radius of the school, and will this be applied to every school in Shetland. That’s a lot of roads that will be restricted to 20mph for 6-7 hours a day.

That’s a lot of inconvenience for the other 21,000* odd Shetlanders, who don't have to go to School, to put up with.

 

Thank god you are not a councillor up here if that’s the best you can come up with.

 

 

*number randomly plucked out of my head as I can't be bothered to find out how many people live in Shetland or how many go to school.

[unlinkedstudent]

the bus to skeld school.

 

so you think a 6 mile walk for 8 year olds and 4 for under 8s in all weathers on single track roads is safe.

 

Can I enquire as to the starting point of the bus journey because from your village to Skeld Primary, according to GoogleEarth, is nowhere near 6 miles and is much less?

 

 

Try 3 miles each way. ...

 

You are assuming, SP, that every single child using this particular bus service lives 3 miles away from the school. From my reading of this thread, it would appear that the SIC have been providing a service outside of their policy and have now decided to curtail it.

[MuckleJoannie]

I wonder if this was one of the cuts "approved" when the SIC set its budget earlier this year. Apparently there are a number of cuts being made that were never made clear prior to the meeting and were voted through in the chaos.

[owdwife]

 

 

You are assuming, SP, that every single child using this particular bus service lives 3 miles away from the school. From my reading of this thread, it would appear that the SIC have been providing a service outside of their policy and have now decided to curtail it.

 

Yes, from my understanding this has been the case for at least the last 30 years but I suspect that this ruling started when there were a lot more rural schools and a lot less traffic.

I wonder if this is a cunning ploy to persuade parents to send their children to schools outside their catchment area so that it will be easier to close more schools? Or will parents already doing this be billed for their children's bus fare?

[shetlandpeat]

US - Yup, what ever.

 

 

they expect 8 year old kids to walk upto 3 miles to and from school. They feel its safe for young children to be on single track road with cars doing the national speed limit.

 

this is clearly a dangerous and stupid decision. imagine these children walking home in the winter. i really fear for there safety.

 

This is the point of the post.

 

It is about childrens safety and could lead to other problems as far as folk going to work. It also highlights that there are concerns about drivers attitudes to sensible driving if there are cuts like this. There will be more cars on the road. If the bus is removed, the road will need to be made safe for children to use. How is a manned school crossing going to prevent accidents on the way? We know you drive to most places, you have said. Try walking three miles in the driving rain, with cars passing at up to 60 mph, some may not have a choice of driving. What happens in winter?

 

That’s a lot of inconvenience for the other 21,000* odd Shetlanders, who don't have to go to School, to put up with

 

Keep in mind that 7 thousand of the population will either be walking to school or at home. A few thousand will not be going to work. As the population is around 22,000 the numbers of folk you say will be affected will be are a bit out. So, you could say 12,000 - 14,000 will be affected, that is if everyone drove and through these routes you suggest to be 20mph. So, a little over the top with your figures.

 

If there are pavements, no need to restrict the speed, as Paul had mentioned, no pavements on the route from his house. No one has suggested what you have, 20 mph in a 3 mile radius. Reducing the speed from 60 to 30 on a single track road can only be a good thing for all. It will save on highway maintenance, fuel, emissions, vehicle maintenance, tyres and let us not forget LIVES. Much of this, having a bus did. Taking the bus off will only increase traffic.

 

Alas, if you read the posts, US was suggesting that there may be a need for a manned school crossing, than said it would be too costly, the 20 mph was for the area around the school, and for an unmanned crossing. That post immediately followed her suggestion. I did say reduce the speed limit of the routes for pupils will use but never suggested an actual limit. Until this post.

 

 

The cuts would have been published some where or in the reports written by the officers. Councillors, or at least some would have known.

[beachcaster]

 

That’s a lot of inconvenience for the other 21,000* odd Shetlanders, who don't have to go to School, to put up with

 

Keep in mind that 7 thousand of the population will either be walking to school or at home. A few thousand will not be going to work. As the population is around 22,000 the numbers of folk you say will be affected will be are a bit out. So, you could say 12,000 - 14,000 will be affected, that is if everyone drove and through these routes you suggest to be 20mph. So, a little over the top with your figures.

 

Did you not see this bit of my post SP, or did you just ignore it so you could impress us all with you indepth knowledge of facts and figures?

 

*number randomly plucked out of my head as I can't be bothered to find out how many people live in Shetland or how many go to school.

 

Another thing, I didn't suggest any routes or speeds, you did SP.

 

 

 

Try 3 miles each way.

 

Restrict the road to 20mph at school times and install a crossing.

[shetlandpeat]

You don't like it when you are quoted, I just suggested your figures were ott, we knew you were not bothered, it was just about having a go at someone. Good get out though.

 

Then, you are happy to quote out of context.

 

Still, the seriousness of the cut to the bus service should be addressed, it can never be solved by picking on an individual, Pauls worry is for the childrens safety, that is priority.