New school bus rules are set to leave incoming year seven students in the lurch.

Ceredigion County Council has changed its policy regarding free school bus travel, allowing students to only use the service to their nearest secondary school.

However, parents were unaware of this change until their school bus applications were rejected this spring, leaving parents “blindsided”.

Families have also claimed the changes have been applied retrospectively, removing children who are already attending secondary school from their regular bus service
Families have also claimed the changes have been applied retrospectively, removing children who are already attending secondary school from their regular bus service (Let Us Travel)

Hannah Bowd from Penrhiwllan said her family were encouraged by the local authority to explore options and choose a secondary school that was right for their son.

He accepted a place at Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn in September, five miles away.

Their school bus travel application was rejected as it wasn’t to Ysgol Bro Teifi, 2.5 miles away, despite the bus travelling to Ysgol Gyfun Emlyn directly past their driveway.

Hannah, a mum of two, said: “I’ve just gone back to work - I don’t know how I’ll get two children to two different schools and get to work on time.

“No one was aware of the change in bus services, so we weren’t able to factor that into our decision-making.

“If we gave him a lift every day, we’d be following the bus, so it seems environmentally better to give him a place on the bus.

“We feel like we're hitting a brick wall as our appeals have been rejected.”

Hannah describes other families in the area in similar positions, in which younger children have been refused the bus service their older siblings use daily.

Due to additional learning needs, her son’s school recommended a Welsh-English school like Emlyn, as opposed to Welsh-only Bro Teifi: “The council seems to be deciding what’s a suitable school without taking this into consideration.”

Let Us Travel is urging the council to freeze the changes and allow those who already have a place at a further school to be given a place on the bus
Let Us Travel is urging the council to freeze the changes and allow those who already have a place at a further school to be given a place on the bus (Let Us Travel)

A group of parents have now united to form campaign group Let Us Travel, writing to councillors, MPs.

Meisha Evans from the group said: “The council have failed to connect with us as a group, acknowledge the issues or their impact.

“They are making each family jump through their multi-stage appeals process.

“Unless they change track, there will be a lot more traffic on the roads, impact families financially as they reduce work to deliver and collect their children.

“As the council didn't inform families of the change, we have had to make Freedom of Information requests to try and find how the change in the discretionary policy has been directed."

Let Us Travel has launched a petition against the changes, which has amassed 143 signatures.

A council spokesperson said: “All applications are assessed in accordance with the Home to School/College Transport Policy, which states transport will be provided free of charge for pupils travelling over the statutory walking distance to/from their nearest suitable school.

“The definition of nearest “suitable school” is where the “education or training provided is suitable having regard for the age, ability and aptitude of the learner and any learning difficulties he or she may have.

“Information relating to the provision of transport is also included in the Schools Admission Policy and on the relevant Council web pages.”