Truancy warning over move to axe pupils' free bus travel

THE removal of free bus travel for hundreds of children at a city high school could see pupil numbers drop and more youngsters playing truant, parents have warned.

The parent council of Holy Rood High in Duddingston says that the new ruling will affect one in four pupils, and claims parents of prospective S1 pupils are being put off sending their children to the school because of the extra travel costs incurred.

The council voted back in February to increase the limit for free travel from two miles to three, sparking outrage across the city.

The decision means parents who previously got free travel for their children will have to pay for bus passes to send them to school, costing 28 per month for a child under 16 and 35 for over 16s.

At Holy Rood High, which currently provides a contract bus for children not on the bus route, parents say many pupils will now have to catch two buses and still have a considerable walk as the school is "so poorly served" by public transport.

Paul Iannetta, chair of the school's parent council, also fears that making it so difficult for children to travel to school will lead to more truancy.

He said: "We understand that the last time a similar move was tried, rates on non-attendance at Holy Rood High School rose and eventually the department reverted to the previous arrangements.

"The associated costs of dealing with non-attendance on those previous levels are likely, in our view, to exceed any benefits."

He added: "We have already heard that several parents of prospective S1 students from St Mary's (Leith) will not be sending their children to Holy Rood High School as a result of having to face a potential additional cost of 280 per child per annum.

"I am sure the same conclusions are being reached in many of the 30 primary schools that currently send their children to Holy Rood.

"In addition, it would be ironic if the recent investment in building a state-of-the-art school was undermined by falling rolls, which may result if parents are dissuaded by the additional travel costs."

The parent council has also raised road safety concerns.

The new ruling will also have a huge impact on Boroughmuir High School, which is on the edge of its catchment and sees pupils travel in from the Buckstone area.

An Evening News investigation carried out last month revealed that several administration councillors claim free travel despite living closer than three miles to the City Chambers and despite voting for the changes in the bus pass rules for children.

A spokeswoman for the city council said: "We have a statutory requirement to provide transport for pupils living further than three miles away.

"Unfortunately, in these difficult financial times, that is all that we can afford to offer."