Published: Wednesday, 20th January, 2010 4:26pm
School buses axed
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By Jennifer Black
CUTS: St Benedict's High School
THE safety of hundreds of school pupils will be put at risk as changes are to be made to the secondary school transport scheme, it has been warned.
Parents are furious after Renfrewshire Council axed free bus travel for pupils living more than two miles away from the school - saving £274,000.
The new changes will mean 187 pupils at St Benedict's High School, 166 Gryffe High School children and 118 pupils at Castlehead High School will lose their bus passes.
In addition, nearly 300 St Andrew's Academy students and 66 Paisley Grammar pupils will also be affected when the plan comes into effect in August.
However, council leader Derek Mackay told the concerned councillors at the annual budget meeting that the free bus service would continue if a safe walking route for the children could not be found.
After the meeting Councillor Mackay said: "What the council officials do and road departments will do is check all the routes - if officers determine that there is not a safe walking route the free school transport provision continues."
St Benedict's High School parents held a public meeting last week to discuss the proposals and concluded that there is no safe way for their children to get to the school, which is situated on the outskirts of Linwood.
However, Renfrewshire Council has told the Gazette that it HAS found an acceptable route to the secondary school, which teaches children from Johnstone, Linwood, Bridge of Weir, Lochwinnoch, Elderslie, Kilbarchan and Howwood.
Councillor Lorraine Cameron, convener of Renfrewshire Council's Education Policy Board, said: "Due to changes to roads infrastructure and other safety improvements made in recent years, suitable routes have now been identified to allow pupils to walk safely from Johnstone to the school.
"Safe walking routes are established by the council's road safety officer and meet with the guidelines set out in the Safe Routes to School policy.
"The change to the qualifying distance will come into effect in August 2010 at the start of the new school year.
"Every parent/carer who has a child who will be affected by these changes will receive a letter in the next couple of months."
After Monday's meeting, the decision was slammed by parents. A spokesperson for St Benedict's Parent Council said: "The Parent Council are stunned with the outcome of today's council budget meeting.
"It showed a total disregard for the safety and welfare of our children.
"We will be taking further action."
The key issue for the parents is the safety of their children. The spokesperson added: "The Parent Forum consider that the council have a duty of care towards the children and that by forcing another 187 children to walk to school, they are in breach of that responsibility."
Meanwhile local MSP Hugh Henry has written to Derek Mackay and the Chief Executive and put forward a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling on Renfrewshire Council to keep the free bus transport scheme.
Mr Henry is asking the council to cut back on the council officers £321,000 salary increase, that was given in June 2008, and put it back into education to allow the free transport to continue.
He said: "How long would it take a pupil to walk just under three miles in the middle of winter?
"It's unacceptable they could be coming into school soaking wet.
"What is the difference of a primary pupil of 11 and a secondary pupil of 11 walking to school?
"It's wrong from a human point of view and it's wrong from an educational point of view."
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sid
(Unregistered User)
Jan 20 10 17:59
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as an elderslie citizen I am now actually asking myself what do I get for the council tax that my family pay monthly. NO roads gritted in the cold snap , bin collections halved, never seen a community warden, never seen a police officer on the beat,our pavements are a disgrace between dog dirt and pot holes and the roads are worse .And now they want to remove the free bus passes for my childern to get to school. what are the council actually spending our money on?
cheif executives, dept directors, and multiple levels of "managers" never mind the dream factory that is renfrewshire house !!!
Donna
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Jan 20 10 18:36
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I am also an Elderslie resident and I an outraged at this decision. I think it is totally unacceptable. I can also add to the list that Sid has provided of services that the SNP led Renfrewshire Council have cut: closing the library and the eventual closure of the swimming pool. What is the council tax money going on?!?!
Ricky
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Jan 20 10 21:50
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The buses seem a bit much, this should be looked at again but nothing is ever as bad as it seems...
Just listen to yourself, you have the internet, investigate and research stuff.
More you Sid... no roads gritted, your bum... roads were really good. Did you see how cold it was... they did very well even though the weather was more cold then we normally get.
Bin collections halved - no there is a new service introduced, blue bins one week, black the next. Learn what you need to recycle and then maybe your bin won't over flow.
Donna the swimming pool isn't closing down, it's being moving to a bigger and better building with some of the most up-to-date equipment.
Our future generation of kids are very lucky and how good will Linwood sports centre be!
Plenty of information about it on the Renfrewshire website. Read all the upgrade information and why would anyone disagree?
Yeah Elderslie is closing but there is always cost cutting and the least used building always gets it.
Library, official figures compared to other library's in the area showed it was hardly used - waste of money - close it.
Paisley library just along the road, brilliant place - try it.
Labour have kept services running close to budget or over. Good on them for keeping it going for so long but it had to end.
SNP at least have the balls to close these services. I would expect that the SNP will will not be re-elected but at least Labour can promisenot to close the pool bring back buses and over spend to get back in.
AND you'll vote for them!
Government needs to change now and again, we are lucky to have a change.
The council tax has been froze but it needs to go up, price of these services cost more every year but your bills to the council haven't chanced.
You can't have it both ways.
sid
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Jan 20 10 22:29
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good evening Ricky, I take issue with a few points that you raised.
I have never voted for the labour party nor will I!
the only reason 2 roads in our estate were grudgingly gritted was because umpteen school buses and patient transport buses use them and the roads were a danger, until the roads dept gave in. the roads may well have been really good where you live ours were atrocious!
Iam fully aware of what gets recycled and my bins have never overflowed
I Fully agree that the labour party ran renfrewshire close to budget or more likely over ,that will be why they whinge and complain when the inevitable cuts come along but are unable to even contemplate telling us what they would do differently because they simply don't have a clue.
the council are top heavy with executives,directors and numerous levels of management. that's where the savings should be made not my kids bus pass.
Sid
Ricky
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Jan 21 10 11:17
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Thanks for clearing that up, you came across as someone who just like to moan for the sake of it.
I agree though that any cuts should come from in house and not the kids buses.
Paul
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Jan 21 10 11:18
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Why not cut back on the amount of council vans and works i constantly see sitting around all over renfewshire doing nothing, rather than putting our kids in danger going to school.
Councillor Lorraine Cameron, convener of Renfrewshire Council's Education Policy Board, said:"Due to changes to roads infrastructure and other safety improvements made in recent years, suitable routes have now been identified to allow pupils to walk safely from Johnstone to the school.
What? i would like to see more information on this route as to be honest i know the route and i would not be happy with my 12 year old walking it
Paul
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Jan 21 10 11:27
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Why not cut back on the amount of council vans and works i constantly see sitting around all over renfewshire doing nothing, rather than putting our kids in danger going to school.
Councillor Lorraine Cameron, convener of Renfrewshire Council's Education Policy Board, said:"Due to changes to roads infrastructure and other safety improvements made in recent years, suitable routes have now been identified to allow pupils to walk safely from Johnstone to the school.
What? i would like to see more information on this route as to be honest i know the route and i would not be happy with my 12 year old walking it
Pamela
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Jan 21 10 11:30
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As a parent of three children living in Elderslie, I am very angry that my children will be expected to walk just under 6 miles per day to Castlehead High School and back.
If I choose to make my children walk to school,they will have a choice of going along an extremely busy main road or the more direct route of the cycle path. The cycle path is not really an option as it is dangerous and has been the sight of numerous attacks in recent years.
That leaves me with the option of paying for public transport (very costly when multiplied by three) or transporting them by myself. I dread to think how busy the roads in Renfrewshire are going to be if hundreds more parents start taking their children to secondary school (and primary) by car.
None of this is acceptable. Nor is it right that children will be walking to and from school in the dark during the winter months
I hope the council see sense before their cuts affect our children and their safety.
@Ricky....my street did not see any grit in the entire period of cold weather. It remained like a sheet of ice for more than three weeks.
Also, Elderslie baths closing and being moved elsewhere is not a good thing, whether the building is bigger and better equipped or not. The baths are part of our local community, as was the library, and when you take all of these things away, you start to lose the heart of a community.
I agree that Paisley library is excellent but is also a bus/car ride away from Elderslie...not much use for children or the elderly. The same applies to the baths. Going to Johnstone or Paisley will, in most cases, involve transport. All fair and good, if you have that available but quite a problem if you don't!
Craig
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Jan 21 10 14:12
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@Pamela it's only 2 and a half miles to Castlehead from Elderslie. I'm from Elderslie and walk to Paisley a lot.
If it was 6 they would still get the free pass.
The threshold has been moved from 2 miles to 3 miles.
True though how can they expect a child to walk to Paisley. Think they need to look at this again lol.
@Ricky liked your point of view but removing the bus service is a bit much.
george
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Jan 21 10 18:11
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shocked. but do somthing about it, object, protest.
I used to work for the council and it is well known that it has been top heavy for years, do you know that every council worker has either a supervisor or some form of office staff per employee. it always has been a joke. but this is a nojoke to make these kids walk that distance, i hope you can resolve this.
Craig Byers
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Jan 21 10 19:35
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I think it's shocking that kids are being made to walk to school if they live more than two miles from school. Surely the first bus passes to go should have been from the kids living nearest the school? Not that I agree they should be taken away anyway. I'm a teacher in a remote area, educated at Castlehead, and it's hard enough for kids with bus pases to get in on time, never mind having to walk! Is this really the place to be making budget cuts?
sid
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Jan 21 10 22:54
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this whole situation was not helped by some very poor journalism . as they say why let the facts get in the way of a good story! I wonder why the Gazette chose to give it's readers only half the story?
to Craig I would point out that Elderslie covers a large area and where i stay is not 2 and a half miles from Castlehead.
Sid
may
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Jan 26 10 21:33
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st benedict's high school was only built on bridge of weird road due to one condition "all children bused to school as there is no safe walking route" and that is quoted. so they cannot go back on there word.Plus all the linwood neds always going into the school starting fights this is just going to cause massive troubles!!
Fiona
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Jan 28 10 12:12
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Is so wrong that Johnstone children will be forced to walk to St.Benedict's - fact is there is NO "SAFE" walking route & parents were promised our children would be bused!! Need to fight this decision?
june kerr
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Jan 29 10 16:54
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perhaps we should all write to Mr Naylor head of resources at Renfrewshire council asking him how often he and other members of the council, paricularly those in the SNP party walk this distance. Perhaps if they had to they would reconsider taking our bus service from our children. also they had a salary increase of £321,000 and the bus transports system costs £274,000 perhaps they could forgo this. Although I won't be holding my breath.I am absolutely terrifed of my son having to walk to school and the only alternative is taxi which I cannot afford.Ihave asked the police for the number of incidents that have occurred between the Linwood youths and the school children at St Benedict; it seems this has to be in written form. it will be interesting to find out how many times we have had to call in the police.
Gareth
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Feb 1 10 07:31
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I'm sorry but the bus service to Castlehead is a joke. I used to live on Stock Street in Paisley, and of a morning there would be children standing at the bus-stop on Neilston Road (next to the now co-op) waiting for the Castlehead high school bus. This is a five to ten minute walk from the school. Nothing like adding to childhood obesity and increased carbon emissions to take these delicate little angels to school. It's pathetic. When I went to secondary school (class of 2000) I had a good 2.5 mile walk with no sign of a bus or my parents taking me by car.
Don't get me wrong, if it is impossible to get to school safely by walking then alternative transport should be provided. But let's not jump on the band-wagon and make noise about a wee walk to school.
sid
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Feb 1 10 10:08
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morning , June, the people you are talking about in renfrewshire council who had an increase of £321,000 in wages this year are employed by the "council" and are not local politicians and there political leanings should have nothing to do with it.
The cuts should be made in "Renfrewshire house" not the streets of Renfrewshire.
But as we all know turkeys don't vote for xmas
Sid
Jac
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Feb 2 10 15:13
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They should have kept st cuthberts open
lindsay ohare
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Feb 3 10 23:27
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please sign this petition
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/renfrewshire-school-transport/
gordon m
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Feb 4 10 09:48
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It is interesting to see Renfrewshire Counclis reaction to the closing of the Renfrew ferry. This ferry, as much as I think it should remain open is used by very few people. If only they thought the same about the hundreds of children that will be affected by the stopping of these bus services.
Typical Renfrewshire Council, probably just thinking of how to keep the developers happy at Braehead to keep the money coming in.
Lorraine
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Feb 6 10 16:09
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I have walked the distance from Elderslie to Morrisons, then from Morrisons into Linwood via the route through the field that the kids currently take at lunchtime to go to Morrisons for their dinner. It took me 40 minutes to get from Elderslie (the scheme) to Morrisons, then a further 30 minutes into Linwood. This means the kids would have to leave at between 7.50am and 8am every morning and not get home until after 4pm every afternoon. Think about the winter months when it is dark at those times. Things are not as they were years ago: there is more of a chance of bad people being about, and there is much more traffic that co and do go at faster speeds. The route through the field between St Benedict's and Morrisons is too secluded - it is not overlooked by the road or any buildings making it more likely that the kids could be attacked without anyone seeing. (Think about any kid walking to school by themselves, or "stragglers"). The official "safe walking route takes the kids along Barrochan Road and across the slip road onto and off of the bypass! Granted, there are traffic lights - but knowing what kids are like, it is pretty much guaranteed that some will fool around and ignore the lights trying to impress their pals.
The council should look again at their decision to cut school transport to and from St Benedict's.
Also, in response to Ricky regarding Elderslie pool. The fact is that the pool in Elderslie is closing. It is actually well used. Out of all the swimming pools in Renfrewshire (Lagoon, Victory Baths, Erskine, Johnstone and Elderslie) it is the 3rd most used pool, and one of the most easily accessed. Why not close Victory or Erskine if it is purely or mainly on the basis of lack of use? This will result in loss of people being attracted to Stoddard Square. This means that the local businesses will suffer. Some will definitely close soon after the pool, and others may follow in due course. This is devastating for the community and people who do not have access to private cars and depend on these shops to get essentials without the hassle of a bus trip to Johnstone or Paisley.
Yes, it is being replaced by a new modern pool in Linwood, and yes we all know that the facilities at Linwood are to be brilliant. And yes, as a former Linwood resident I am pleased they are finally getting their long-awaited pool.
However, it is only of use to people that can reasonably get there (in other words people with cars who generally experience minimal hassle getting to these places). People who have to depend on public transport have to put up with frequent lateness and buses not turning up. Also, it means that many people from Elderslie have to get 2 buses into Linwood (one from the scheme to the Main Road, then one from Main Road into Linwood). This puts people off going altogether. Elderslie residents pay a fortune in council tax, and we will have virtually nothing to show for it.
The sense of community built up around the baths and the library is going to be lost and we are going to need to build that up again.
mc
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Feb 8 10 21:14
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With the recent consolidation in the numbers of schools there must have been an increase in the number of pupils requiring a free school bus. It's a dam cheek of the Council to make the savings in the number of schools in the area and then wait another couple of years to introduce the change of rules from 2 to 3 miles.
OK it's always been a right for the Council could have used the up to 3 miles ruling. However, it smacks of typical Political sharp practice to wait until the consolidation of schools has been completed to then introduce the ruling. What would have been the protests if we'd all have known that schools were closing and that no school buses would be made available.
mc
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Feb 8 10 21:25
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If the Council are short of money and need to raise some cash how about using some imagination to raise some new revenue. How about introducing a daily parking charge for the nice new shining car paring at the Council HQ in Paisley.
Let me have a guess at possible revenue
200 spaces, £4 per day, 5 days per week and 45 weeks in the year. That could bring in £180K. That would go some way towards the cost of the school buses.
There may be some outrage from the Council at any proposal that levies charges on themselves. No free school bus for pupils, no free parking for the Council. I'd then start to believe that they were serious in thier attempts to balance their overall budget.
gordon m
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Feb 8 10 23:25
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Turkeys don't vote for christmas and those turkeys have lovely plush offices and free parking to boot......nuff said
fedup listening
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Mar 3 10 11:51
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I live in Johnstone and was in Morrisons on Monday lunchtime. I lost count of the number of children wearing St Benedicts uniforms in the queues. It seems that it is only too far and unsafe to get from school to town in the morning and at hometime. Lunchtimes it seems to be a breeze.
And they can also venture as far as the town centre, as they are always in the queue at Greggs too.
I know it may come as a shock having to use their God-given legs, but lots of kids have to walk to school of a morning!
Our local primary school means my children have to cross 4 roads whichever route they take. No crossing patrols on any of them and only one pelican crossing no matter which way they go. They still have 3 other roads to navigate without assistance. My daughter is in P6 and manages this quite successfully.
I would be embarassed to say I had a child in secondary school who could not get safely to school because it involved crossing roads - as far as I can see from Johnstone Town Centre to St Benedicts the roads that require crossing are all controlled by lights.
Yes ideally the buses would stay, but in a choice between buses and teachers where would you really rather see the cuts???
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