The next local government elections in Wales are scheduled to take place on the 6 May 2027.
Walking 3 miles (nearly 5 km) to school in wet, cold, or dark conditions is unacceptable for children. This situation is not just an inconvenience; itโs a serious failure in safeguarding childrenโs well-being, education, and basic rights. Hereโs why this demands urgent action and how to push back:
The Human Cost of These Cuts
- Physical Health Risks
- Exposure to harsh weather increases risks of hypothermia, slips/falls, or respiratory illnesses.
- Long walks exhaust children, leaving them too tired to focus in class.
- Children with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or asthma face even greater dangers.
- Mental Health Impact
Stress, anxiety, and shame from arriving soaked, muddy, or late to school can harm self-esteem and mental health. - Educational Disruption
Fatigue and repeated absences (due to illness or inability to walk) undermine learning and widen attainment gaps. - Safety Concerns
Poorly lit roads, lack of pavements, or isolated routes expose children to traffic accidents or harassment.
This is a Question of Equity
- Privilege Divide : Only families who own cars or can afford taxis escape this burden. Low-income families, rural residents, and single-parent households bear the brunt.
- Violation of Rights : The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 28) guarantees access to education. Forcing children to walk unsafe distances undermines this right.
From a parent on FB: Unfortunately, this arrived today. If there is anybody else in the Hawthorn/Rhydyfelin area who would be interested in trying to arrange some alternate form of transport to Garth Olwg please feel free to contact me or Cllr Cathy Lisles – for Hawthorn & Lower Rhydfelen.
In March 2024, the RCT Labour Cabinet agreed to remove school transport for secondary schools students following consultation which so many residents objected to.
On Thursday as councillors we received an update on the implementation of this change, and from today, letters will be arriving for all.
๐ ๐๐๐บ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐:
โข Safe walking routes have been assessed independently. They are available to view here:
https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/…/WalkingRoutesAssessments.aspx
โข ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ก๐ข ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก
โข ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐
โข School Bus routes have published along with a Frequently Asked Questions section
https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/…/Schooltransportchanges2025…
โข 2,300 children across RCT will lose thier school bus, forced to make alternative transport arrangements.
โข 50 less school buses will be in operation. There will be a reduced opportunity for some to purchase surplus seat capacity in the 2025/26 school year
โข There has been no discussion with schools or local councillors about the impact of extra cars parking at schools or congestion.
๐ฆ๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐?
As your councillors we objected to these changes at every opportunity, arranged a petition and walked the โsafe walkingโ routes.
There have been multiple recommendations, those that fall in our ward area we will persist and pester the council until they are implemented.
We remain concerned about the impact this change will have across our community ๏ฟผ and will work with neighbouring councillors to see how we can reduce the impact of these cruel changes..
๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐พ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐, ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐น๐ฝ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป..
๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐บ
๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐๐๐ฎ๐ณ
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