Fund cuts to faith school travel consultation

Bristol parents and carers whose children attend faith schools are being asked to take part in a consultation about the future of free travel.

Currently, Bristol City Council have a policy to provide free travel for all children attending their nearest faith school if it is beyond walking distance.

Children attending a faith school, regardless of family income or even if there are other nearer schools may be supplied with a free bus pass.

With the service costing the council £400,000 a year, plans to phase out the service to new children starting at faith schools in September 2011 are being put forward.

Bristol City Council’s Director for Children’s Services, Annie Hudson, said: “This proposal seeks both to promote fairness on home to school travel and to save public money. Children from low-income families will continue to receive free transport if they meet our criteria, and this is something the council wants to protect.
 
“Faith is a factor for some parents in choosing a school for their child and the council respects and values this diversity. This consultation is considering whether it is appropriate for this choice to result in a cost for the taxpayer – it is currently the only scenario where the council would fund transport to school as a result of parental choice.”

Children who are baptised into the faith of and attend their nearest voluntary aided church school are entitled to free home to school travel costs.

Primary aged children must live at least two miles away and secondary children three miles.

The consultation will run until 14 December 2010.