Ringing the bell for cheap school buses

Local transport bosses have backed a House of Commons report calling for the Government to help introduce cheaper school travel.

Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) — responsible for overseeing the provision of public transport — has highlighted how the Transport Select Committee’s findings support previous research in Greater Manchester.

Chairman, Councillor Matt Colledge, said: “We know that some parents find the cost of travel a barrier to their children using public transport, not only to get to school or college, but also to enjoy local leisure opportunities.

“Like every other major metropolitan area in the country, we are faced with the very real problem of trying to keep school bus fares low while the subsidy we have to pay to bus operators increases.

“I wholeheartedly back the Transport Committee’s call for research into the costs and benefits of public transport for young people.

“The Government has already recognised the benefits of concessionary travel for older and disabled people.

We now need its support to offer a better concessionary travel deal for our young people too.”

Last month, GMITA leaders called on the Government to fund a maximum standard concessionary fare of 50p for children and young people in full-time education.

The Government has already introduced free local bus travel across England for the over-60s and disabled.

The report also gives support to American-style yellow school buses — as used by Falinge Park High School — as an effective way to get more children using public transport to get to school.

GMITA vice-chairman, Councillor Keith Whitmore, said: “In Greater Manchester, we have a fleet of nearly 40 yellow buses which are helping us tackle the school run and provide a safe way for young people to get to school.

“If we had funding to introduce more of these services — and lower the cost of school travel — we could make a massive impact on congestion on our roads.”

So far, Falinge is the only Rochdale school to use yellow buses but others are expected to follow suit.