PARENTS are fighting back against cuts to school buses in Rhondda Cynon Taf which would see pupils as young as 11 walking for more than an hour to and from school in all weathers.
Campaigners are organising a demonstration outside the council offices to protest cuts to school transport in RCT which will see buses withdrawn from all children living within three miles of their secondary school in the county borough.
A campaign group, Save the School Transport RCT, formed of young mothers based in RCT, said it has so far gained thousands of signatures and organised public meetings in the worst impacted areas.
They said their campaign has cross-party support, backed by former Labour MP for Cynon Valley Beth Winter, Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan, a Member of the Senedd for South Wales Central, as well as local Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Independents.
Now they are organising a public protest against the changes outside the RCT Council offices in Pontypridd, and encouraging parents, grandparents and students to attend and make their voices heard.
One of the organisers of the protest Laura Hill said: “I have recently walked the route my children will be expected to walk to school. It took around an hour and 10 minutes to walk 2.8 miles, having to cross busy roads or walk around cars parked on the pavement.
“The cost of getting my two children to and from the school on public transport would be £84 a month, which I simply can’t afford. And if the buses are late, I face getting fined and they face detention.”
Another organiser, Kayleigh Grainger, said: “My son is unable to walk to school for medical reasons, that simply isn’t an option. That will mean he will either end up missing a lot of school or I will have to spend money I don’t have on unreliable buses.
“It’s totally unfair of RCT to take buses away from the children. In our winters, it’s just unsafe for children as young as 11 to be walking two hours a day in the rain and the dark.”
Speaking about the protest, campaigner Tina Collins said: “If a child was being left to sit in wet clothes at home, the parents would be reported for neglect. How can they be expected to sit in wet clothes all day at school?
“We are fighting for this ridiculous decision to be reversed. Join us on Saturday, October 19, we won’t be able to stop this decision without you.”
The protest will take place from 11am outside the RCT Council offices on Taff Street in Pontypridd.
A Rhondda Cynon Taf Council spokesperson said: “As a council, we have had to make difficult decisions to ensure that services continue to be delivered in a financially sustainable way. It’s a financially tough outlook for councils across the UK, including Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“During the consultation period, residents had the opportunity to make their voices heard. As a result, cabinet members amended the proposals to keep providing current transport arrangements for primary school learners, meaning they will receive free transport if they live 1.5 miles or more from their place of learning. This is more generous than required by Welsh Government’s learner travel measure.
“But at the same time, tough decisions had to be made to balance the council’s budget. From September 2025, all secondary and post-16 learners will be eligible for free transport in line with Welsh Government’s learner travel measure. This means learners who live three miles or more away from their place of learning will still receive free transport.
“An overwhelming majority of councils in Wales provide home to school transport in line with Welsh Government’s learner travel measure only. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will still provide transport to more pupils than required.
“We acknowledge that this decision will not be popular with those affected, however, councils across the UK are facing significant budget challenges. Like most things, the cost of home to school transport has ballooned in recent years, with costs increasing from £8 million in 2015 to more than £15 million in 2023/24.”
