Senedd politicians are set to debate “absurd” school transport rules after hearing children as young as 11 are expected to walk up to two-and-a-half hours a day to get an education.

The Senedd’s petitions committee agreed to pursue a debate after nearly 14,000 people added their voices to a chorus of calls for an overhaul of school transport.

Councils must provide free transport to pupils of compulsory school age if they live more than two miles from their nearest suitable primary school, or three miles for secondaries.

Two petitions, signed by almost 14,000 people combined, called for a “long-overdue” review of the 2008 Learner Travel Measure which sets out the rules.

Rocio Cifuentes, Wales’ children’s commissioner, has described ministers’ 2021 review of the rules as “totally inadequate, falling short of signalling any meaningful change”.

And the Senedd education committee has heard the cost of travel has impacted attendance and post-16 options as well as created greater barriers for disabled children.

The Senedd heard that members’ postbags are brimming with letters about the problem which particularly impacts faith and Welsh-medium schools as well as poorer pupils.

The Welsh Government has highlighted that school transport accounts for about 25% of all council direct spending on education, amounting to £207m of £770m in 2025/26.

In a letter to the committee, Wales’ transport secretary Ken Skates told Senedd members: “We do not disagree with the sentiment behind the wording of the petition.

“We all want to ensure our children and young people do not face barriers to accessing education.”

Mr Skates said school transport is a priority area and the consultation, which closes on Friday, 28 November, will inform the development of guidance and policy.