‘Time to think again’
Both Rutherglen and Cambuslang’s MP and MSP have called on South Lanarkshire Council to re-think their school bus proposals after the publication of the consultation outcome.
Margaret Ferrier MP released a joint statement with her fellow SNP MPs and MSPs in South Lanarkshire. The statement, from Ms Ferrier as well as Angela Crawley MP, Lisa Cameron MP, Linda Fabiani MSP, Aileen Campbell MSP and Christina McKelvie MSP, said: “South Lanarkshire’s proposal to cut the school bus provision is at best unworkable, and at worst dangerous. The changes could leave as many as 2,300 children without an appropriate means of getting to and from school.
“No commercial bus provider could possibly deal with this increase in demand, and the ‘safe-walking’ routes the council issued as an alternative have already been widely criticised.
“But despite this, South Lanarkshire Labour seem determined to implement this ill thought-out policy, with little regard for those affected.”
James Kelly MSP also urged councillors to drop the plan at an executive committee on August 26, despite South Lanarkshire being a Labour-run council.
But he also called on the Scottish Government to step in to sort the situation out: “The SNP government in Edinburgh have placed the council in a very difficult position by introducing legislation amending distance for school transport provision from three miles to two miles.
“The SNP have also made massive cuts to the council’s budget year after year.
“These changes place an unfair burden on my constituents and I hope both the council and the Scottish Government take the appropriate measures to reverse these changes.”
Glasgow MSP, Bob Doris of the SNP, who has campaigned against the change, said:“These consultation results provide powerful evidence that the council should ditch these ill considered plans.
“With 94 per cent of respondents firmly opposing plans, it is time for the council to do the right thing and think again.’’