Children being put in danger on 'unsafe' walking routes after school bus cuts

Concerned parents fear their children are being put in danger by “unsafe” walking routes to school after free bus cuts were confirmed.

South Lanarkshire Council announced last year that transportation to mainstream secondary schools was to move to the statutory arrangements used by most local authorities.

Only secondary pupils who live more than three miles from school will continue to get free transport paid for using council funds.

The changes come into effect in August, but parents have told STV News they’re concerned for child safety, with some routes passing through parks and across busy roads.

Karin Hill, whose daughter will be 11 years old when she starts school, says she doesn’t want her walking over 48 minutes to and from school.

She told STV News: “My main concern is the road safety – there’s a section she has to walk through a grassy area with bad lighting and through dangerous parks.

“The area is not well connected by public transport. I’ve spoken to bus companies and there’s not enough funding to supply buses in our direction.

“There are services that go down, but at times that don’t suit children getting to school on time.

“My husband and I would need to look for new jobs to actually be able to take her to school and back.”

Another parent said her daughter will have to walk one hour each way to school, encompassing 2.9 miles through “dark forest tracks”.

She said: “It is not safe. There’s a forest track, busy roads, underpasses, and a derelict pub to walk by.

“There is no world where it is safe for a child to walk an hour and a half to get to school.

“I wouldn’t want my daughter doing that in the summer, never mind the winter.”

She added: “There’s no good alternative here.”

Parents say they overwhelmingly voted against the plans in a consultation period, but South Lanarkshire Council said this was “expected given the outcome would be the removal of free transportation from some pupils.”

Parents say they were told by councillors that no one from the authority had walked proposed routes to test their safety.

Parents say they met with councillors and were told no one from the council had walked proposed routes. Supplied

David Hinshelwood, interim head of education at the council, said the route had been assessed as safe by a roads engineer.

He added: “If any parents have concerns about areas along this route, they can email the team and we will review their concerns.”

There are to be no changes to current arrangements for any ASN pupils, and primary school pupils will continue to qualify for free transport if they live more than one mile from their catchment school.

A South Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “The decision to change the distance requirement for the provision of free transportation to mainstream secondary schools from August 2025 was taken by elected members in June 2023.

“It will bring South Lanarkshire into line with most other Scottish councils.

“Until that date, South Lanarkshire will have provided free transportation beyond the distances recommended by Scottish Government guidelines.

“Unfortunately, however, financial pressures mean moving to statutory arrangements is necessary to help us protect other parts of the education budget that directly affect pupils’ learning.”