Judith has spoken to the T&A about proposals to cut school bus services to St Bede's and St Joseph's College.
Judith Cummins, Member of Parliament for Bradford South has slammed Council proposals to axe school bus services, calling them ‘ill-thought through’.
Last month, Bradford Council’s Executive announced plans to cut school bus services for St Bede’s and St Joseph’s (SBSJ) Catholic College and Bingley Grammar School, around half of all the school bus services it provides, from September next year.
The MP is backing calls from schools and parents for the plans to be scrapped, saying:
“When Yorkshire Martyrs Catholic College closed in 2010, Bradford Council gave verbal assurances that there would be school buses to other Catholic secondary schools in Bradford, meaning that parents in Bradford South would still have a realistic option of exercising their right to choose a school based on their faith. Bradford Council is letting down families in Bradford South by breaking that promise.”
“And to add insult to injury, the school was not even consulted about this proposal before it was announced in the press. That is a terrible way to treat people.”
Judith has called the plans a ‘recipe for disaster’ saying:
“Almost 900 pupils use the twelve school bus services to SBSJ. Without these services, children as young as 11 years of age will be faced with complex and lengthy journeys on public transport through rush hour to get to school on time. And at the end of the school day, 900 pupils will exit school seeking a place on a scheduled service.”
“Five of these school bus services which serve South Bradford are the closest thing that hundreds of parents get to assurances that their children will get to and from school safely and on time,” added Judith.
“It is a proposal that is disjointed, inconsistent and ill-thought through,” says Judith. “There will be unintended consequences of removing these bus services that risk destabilising the school system.”
“St Bede’s and St Joseph’s College draws students from across Bradford. Without the bus services, many parents may be forced to choose a different, closer school, putting pressure on places elsewhere and disrupting admission arrangements across the city.”
“This could threaten the future of viability of SBSJ entirely,” added Judith.
This week’s meeting of Bradford Council was dominated by debate on the axing of these services:
A petition of more than 1,800 signatures calling for the Council to reconsider cuts to the SBSJ school bus services will be debated, and the college organised a protest outside City Hall ahead of the meeting.
“Bradford Council must acknowledge the strength of feeling about this,” says Judith. “I would be joining parents at the demonstration, but I am required to be in Parliament on that day. The school, parents and students do, however, have my full support in their campaign.”
“I have met with the leader of Bradford Council, the West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, the Catholic Diocese, and I am in regular contact with SBSJ College. I understand the financial pressure the Council is under, but I am sure that with all interested parties and parents working together, a viable plan could be drawn up to save these vital school services.”
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