With the school year coming to an end the Save the School Transport in RCT campaign [Save the school transport in RCT | Facebook] reports the continued anger, frustration and fear of families about the cuts to the home to school transport that will come into force in September 2025 and notes its determination to keep fighting.
The campaign, led by three mothers, has gained the support of thousands of local residents and families who have an array of serious concerns about the negative impact that these cuts will have including – fear over children’s safety; shortage and cost of public transport; risk of increasing levels of school absenteeism; detrimental impact on children’s well- being and educational performance; disproportionate impact on people living in poverty; increase in cars on roads, more congestion, more accidents and more emissions.
A number of steps have been taken by the campaign to highlight these concerns and to seek to overturn the decision: a petition opposing the cuts signed by over 3,000 people, over 1,000 people have completed a transport survey providing details about the concerns and impact of the cuts, 220 people trialling the walk to school routes to assess their safety, numerous public meetings and protests. The evidence has been collated into a report and submitted to Welsh Government.
Tina Collins, one of the women leading the campaign, said:
“We are doing everything we can to stop these cruel and dangerous cuts. Families, parents and children are genuinely scared about how children will be able to get to school, safety risks and the effect it will have on our future generations well-being and education. We have heard far too many heart-wrenching cases – children having to change school, parents worried they may have to leave their jobs, families fearful of cost implications. Only this week we heard from a 12 year old child who said they were ‘upset and worried’, ‘scared’, ‘afraid’ by it all and had written to the council to complain about the cuts.”
As well as local action all elected politicians have been approached for support and representations have been made and on-going discussions are being held with the Cabinet Secretary for Transport; Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip; Future Generations Commissioner for Wales; Children’s Commissioner for Wales and the Welsh Language Commissioner for Wales.
Serious concerns have also been identified as to whether the council has complied with Equality legislation, especially in relation to its socio-economic duty, when making its decision on this matter.
Beth Winter, former Member of Parliament of Cynon Valley, who has supported the campaign from the outset stated:
“These cuts are clearly a political choice, being driven by financial considerations. This is unacceptable and it should not and cannot be allowed to in any way compromise or undermine public bodies’ legal obligations with regards equality. Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC has one of the highest levels of deprivation, ill health, disability and ageing population in Wales with certain geographic areas suffering exceptionally high levels of poverty and inequality. Failure to properly comply with equality law and guidance is therefore likely to have a disproportionate impact upon our communities.”
“My concerns are so significant that I referred the matter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for their consideration who, in their response letter to me, stated that ‘Our current and future work priorities include compliance with the PSED and Welsh Specific Duties.’ I have now referred the EHRC response along with my concerns to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and am awaiting a response on this specific issue.”
Tina Collins said:
“It is shameful that the Local Authority refuse to listen to us or even the evidence and we just keep being passed from pillar to post, and our communities ignored. But we will not give up. The fight continues and our next action will be on September 9th 2025 when local people are taking part in a walk to school demonstration.”
Save the school transport RCT Campaign
email: parentsofrct@yahoo.com
Facebook: Save the school transport RCT/Save the school transport RCT group
https://www.facebook.com/people/Save-the-school-transport-in-RCT/61558042084789
Related Posts
Today Drakeford refused to answer a question on the covid inquiry what is he afraid of?
Parents still in Uproar Over RCT School Transport Cuts as 2026 Election Looms
“Parents and Pupils to Stage Mass Travel Demonstration Over School Transport Cuts in RCT”
