SNP MSP Clare Adamson blasted North Lanarkshire Council’s failure to meaningfully engage with affected parents, carers, and pupils in a Holyrood debate on cuts to school transport provision.
The Labour administration in North Lanarkshire increased the qualifying distance threshold at which pupils could receive school transport, prompting significant opposition from affected families.
The move impacted an estimated 3,000 pupils across North Lanarkshire and over 400 children at schools in Motherwell and Wishaw prompting a series of protests from parent groups.
Ms Adamson has repeatedly raised safety concerns from parent groups to the local authority: running a consultation; writing to the council’s Chief Executive; meeting with the Scottish Government’s Transport Minister; and raising the issue at First Minister’s Questions.
Her latest intervention came during a Scottish Parliament debate on North Lanarkshire’s School Bus campaign.
The MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw said:
“Parents, carers, and pupils have made appeal after appeal to the local authority. My office tried to raise clear safety concerns with the identified walking routes, uncertainty over ASN transport provision, and capacity issues indicated by commercial bus operators.
“All of it has been ignored by this council administration. The SNP group has been fighting against this but the local authority must meaningfully engage with the people who are actually affected by this decision.
“I have walked these routes with pupils. There are busy unmarked crossings and heavy traffic. And that is before the massive Pan Lanarkshire road development linking the M74 and M80 right through Motherwell.
“The consultation process was wholly inadequate and repeated appeals to review the so-called safe walking routes have been roundly ignored.
“Campaigners have been working relentlessly but it shouldn’t have to be this way. The Labour-Tory administration must review these damaging changes to show that child safety is a priority.”
Kerry Anne Ferrie of the Save NLC School Buses campaign said:
“The voice of the child was heard and respected in the Scottish Parliament. But it should not have to get this far for North Lanarkshire Council to listen to the people it represents.
“The parents and kids who have actually suffered because of this decision have been dismissed by the local authority.
“I am grateful to Clare for speaking up for her constituents. We now need North Lanarkshire Council to listen to our concerns and reverse this decision before a further 1,400 children across North Lanarkshire lose their school buses.”
Clare Adamson MSP – Speech 07 November 2024
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