School bus fare RISE
... AS COUNCIL CONSIDERS AXING SUBSIDISED BUS SERVICE
Council looks at axing of subsidised bus service for two schools
INCREASED bus fares are looming for scores of families as a long standing subsidy is set to end.
One councillor at a committee meeting on Tuesday called the change “morally wrong” but others argued it would mean all pupils in Conwy would be treated equally.
A Conwy Council committee recommended withdrawing its subsidised bus services from September 1 which would also save the authority £60,000 a year. Currently, there are two dedi- cated subsidised buses from Llandudno Junction and one from Deganwy to Ysgol Aberconwy as well as two buses from Penrhyn Bay to Ysgol John Bright.
Legally, Conwy must give free home to school transport to secondary school pupils living more than three miles from their nearest school. But some living 2.9 miles away get this benefit which is “an anomaly”, the committee heard.
On Tuesday, Conwy’s customers overview and scrutiny committee voted to recommend that the Cabinet ends the subsidy, meaning some pupils paying £150 a year would pay £273. One subsidised bus to carry pupils eligible to free school transport from Penrhyn Bay to Ysgol John Bright would be kept, remaining seats on that bus would be available on concessionary fares.
Cllr Mike Priestley, of Llandudno Junction, said withdrawing the subsidy would be “morally wrong”, adding: “We have had this service provided for decades”.
And Cllr Joan Vaughan, of Llandudno, warned there could be “300 or 400 children standing at a bus stop in September with no buses - I’m sure the Daily Post and North Wales Weekly News would love that one - because we have not thought it through.”
But Cllr Adrian Tansley, of Mochdre, said he pays £12.50 for each of two grandchildren’s bus fares to get to Eirias High School in Colwyn Bay, which is £100 a month. He added: “Why should they pay when other people are not paying?”
Cllr Frank Bradfield, of Llandudno, agreed: “I would be the last person to inflict an extra financial burden on families with school children but we can’t have some families benefiting while others are deprived (of the benefit).”
Conwy is the only authority in Wales to provide a subsidised bus service.
Cllr Meirion Hughes said: “If the recommendation is carried out this will have a profound impact on not just the Llandudno Junction children attending Ysgol Aberconwy, but also on the public bus service which does not have the capacity to accommodate the sudden additional demand.
Conwy Council and Arriva bus officials are set to discuss bus seats and prices.