School kids protest at council HQ rally

Parents, carers, and young people took their campaign against changes to school transport provision to South Lanarkshire Council’s headquarters in Hamilton.

The council recently announced proposals to alter the qualifying free transport distance a mainstream secondary school pupil must live from their catchment area to three miles; it is currently only two miles. If the plans proceed, they would take effect from August 2025.

The demonstration at the council’s HQ was attended by pupils from Cathkin High and Calderside Academy, as well as young people from their feeder primary schools.

Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey, who attended the protest at the council’s HQ in Hamilton on February 14, said: “Despite miserable weather, local young people and their parents and carers turned out in great numbers to protest against the bus cuts at South Lanarkshire Council HQ.

“It was a pleasure to join them. “They’ve led a brilliant and colourful campaign so far – shining a light on the council’s unsafe, unworkable and unpopular proposals which would remove free school transport provision for many.

“South Lanarkshire Council must listen to the community and keep free school transport provision.”

A parent who attended the protest said: “It was a good turnout, given that it was a weekday and most people work.”

In response to calls for more time to consider the proposal, the council has extended the consultation period by two weeks. The consultation will now close on Friday, March 15.

Carole McKenzie, executive director of the council’s education resources, previously said: “The Executive Committee approved a statutory consultation on this matter, which started on 15 January and, following an extension requested by some parents, will run until 15 March.

“The options to consider are whether to continue providing the current level of service, or a service that is more in keeping with the rest of Scotland and more in line with our statutory levels of service provision.

“Pressures on the budget for education, and indeed the wider council budget, mean we have to consider all options.

“This is a result of severe financial constraints on the service.

“If we do proceed with this proposal, it means that the impact of budget cuts that directly affect pupils’ learning and classroom resources can be lessened.

“I understand that this proposal may cause some anxiety as we move forward with the consultation. It is important that everyone’s views are listened to, and that is the purpose of the consultation.”

It can be accessed at www. southlanarkshire.gov.uk