Bournemouth's Lib Dem Council have decided to withdraw free school travel passes for Bournemouth's 700 pupils attending the town's church and grammar schools. This long-standing concession is only available to those children who live more than the 3 mile statutory walking distance from their school.

In fairness to the Lib Dem Council they did go through the motions of consulting parents before making this sweeping change. The overwhelming majority wanted to keep the concession as is the case for pupils in Poole and throughout Dorset. It now seems that the consultation was just a sham and the Council had already made up its mind, with another new policy, to withdraw free bus passes for all but those who receive free school meals. Despite all the talk about being a 'listening' Council they have ignored the important arguments and consequences against this hasty and ill-thought through decision which will apply to all new pupils from next year. Inevitably there will be some children whose parents will be caught in the poverty trap and who therefore will be unable to exercise parental preference for their children's education.

What is clear is that although there will be savings to the school transport budget, these will be at a cost to Bournemouth Council's overall budget because of the additional congestion caused by the school run. This will lead to greater pressure on the highways budget and reduced Government grant when Bournemouth fails to meet its Local Transport Plan targets. This decision will do nothing to help Bournemouth achieve its target of a reduction of 30% in car trips to school by 2007 - quite the reverse.

Yellow Buses and Wilts & Dorset have told the Council that the likely reduction in bus use will impact on the viability of local bus services and of course any increased congestion will lead to greater pressure for more bus lanes along the key routes.

The Conservatives believe that any decision should have been taken in the round by a proper review of all Council funded transport provision rather than unfairly targeting children who attend church and grammar schools and totally ignoring the environmental and social costs of withdrawing the concession. Much has been made of increasing the resources available to children with special educational needs, which we support, but this knee-jerk reaction will not achieve the much trumpeted savings of £180,000 for the Council as a whole and will result in a short-term and false economy for the Council. A proper costcutting review on the other hand would have cut out waste and duplication and resulted in a sustainable alternative to the benefit of all Bournemouth Council tax payers.

It is not too late for Bournemouth's Lib Dem Council to think again and heed the advice of the recommendation from the Council's own Education Scrutiny and Review Panel - The Conservatives would wholeheartedly support such a move for the good of the pupils and the finances of the town.

For further details please contact:-

Cllr John Beesley
Bournemouth Conservatives
on Bournemouth Council

Tel. 01202 762403
Mobile 07860 391219
email john.beesley@bournemouth.gov.uk