A petition signed by villagers and parents backing Luke Hall MP’s calls for a review into school transport provision in the Cromhall area, has been included in a letter to Cllr Matthew Riddle this week as the MP made the case as to how the current provision has unintentionally led to a community being divided.
In the letter submission which included a local petition, and photos of the underused school bus the MP explained that families in the area had come to him with common concerns that the current policy implemented by South Gloucestershire council has led to many students in the south of the villages being left disadvantaged as they try to make the daily school journey to nearby Katherine Lady Berkley School (KLB).
In the letter the MP acknowledged and agreed that the current policy was not aimed at creating the situation and instead proposed that capacity and opportunity to use the bus at a fare should be considered for those outside the council’s statutory duty.
In the proposal, local MP Luke Hall suggested that this issue could be resolved by allowing those to the south of the village to pay a fare to ensure the transport remained financially viable for the council whilst allowing the community’s students to use the same bus to and from School.
Luke commenting on the campaign said: “The response to the petition I launched before Christmas has really demonstrated a review would be really welcome by the villages. Parents in the villages have been in touch to explain the pressure and strain the policy has been placing on families. I hope that a review will look closely in finding ways to help the community.”