Free school transport policies are "hopelessly out-of-date" and discriminate against primary pupils who live within the two-mile limit and post-primary school children living within the three-mile limit, a local councillor has claimed.
The Western Education and Library Board are responsible for setting the conditions for school transport and by continuing to implement their current policy they are effectively exposing children to serious risks, Alderman Gerry Mullan said after spea
king to parents and teaching staff from all schools in the Limavady town area, all of whom have pledged their support for a change to the present school transport system.
“There has not been a review of school transport policies for many years and that is regrettable considering that conditions have changed so drastically.In many cases, it would be utter madness for parents to allow their children to walk to school. Apart from the horrendous increase in traffic, much of it breaking speed limits and other traffic regulations there is also the added danger of children being exposed to paedophiles in isolated areas. This, as we know, has become a recurring menace in our midst and everything needs to be done to ensure that our children are being protected from such dangers.”
Ald.Mullan has written to the Minister for Education, the Commissioner for Children, and all the MLAs in East Derry asking for an urgent change to the schools transport policy.
“I have also written to all Assembly Members for the constituency urging them to support a badly needed change to the system,” he added.
The full article contains 266 words and appears in Journal Friday DER Edition newspaper.
