Bus service cut for students in rural area

The paid-for school bus will stop taking students from Markington to Nidderdale High School from September

A mother has said she feels "penalised" after a school bus service covering her village was cancelled.

Cassie Harper said she was told on 7 June that the service would stop taking students from Markington to Nidderdale High School in Pateley Bridge from September.

Ms Harper said it was "unfair" for students who lived outside the school's catchment area.

North Yorkshire Council said parents were responsible for travel costs outside the qualifying distance.

Ms Harper said: “We appreciate that we are out of the catchment area for Nidderdale but given the school relies on these admissions from out-of-catchment pupils it seems unfair.

“We’re being penalised for choosing to send our children to this high school. Plus this bus route has been happening for many years.

“Had we known this was going to happen then it would have been considered when applying for our children’s places.”

The service currently collects seven students from the village of Markington and takes them to Nidderdale High School, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

However, a letter to parents from the school said they could instead buy a first-come, first-served pass for a bus that goes through Bishop Thornton, two miles away from Markington.

Ms Harper said some children who used the current bus route had special educational needs, and the council had not considered their wellbeing when making this “drastic change".

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for education and skills, Amanda Newbold, said: "Our current home-to-school transport policy provides eligibility for travel assistance for pupils to either their catchment school or their nearest suitable school if they meet the distance or other eligibility criteria.

“Where a child attends a school that is not the nearest or the catchment school for the home address or the school is outside the qualifying distance, parents are responsible for the travel arrangements and costs.

“In some instances, parents are able to purchase a paid permit for a spare seat on an education service, which is arranged for eligible pupils.”

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