Parents fear their children could be seriously injured or killed walking a “dangerous” route to school after bus services were slashed by the council.
The changes mean children in South Lanarkshire will no longer get a bus provided if they live less than three miles away from their catchment school.
The cap used to be two miles meaning many pupils now face a long and potentially dangerous walk to class.
Louise Grattan told STV News: “There is a risk the kids are literally going to be dying for an education – last week there was two accidents within two hours on the road our kids around going to have to walk past.
“They’re being asked to walk three miles to and back from school on dangerous, dark, unlit roads – near accident blackspots.
STV News“It’s just unsafe, there are no facilities at school for all these kids to be getting changed in school if it rains to start a full day of education, it’s completely ludicrous.”
In Lesmahagow, the route changes mean families are left to either rely on two public bus services, which don’t match up with the school start times.
Parents claim would leave their children “wandering the streets of the town” or a walk which, according to Google Maps, will take over an hour each way.
As well as being the main diversion for the busy M74 motorway, an FOI seen by STV News shows the route has had 13 accidents in the last four years, resulting in two deaths.
Eleven people needed to be admitted to hospital as a result of crashes on the road.
Joanna Mcguigan said: “As a blanket rule, the three miles might make sense in some places. However, we are a very rural area.
“It’s a 60mph road with regular accidents, there are no traffic lights at any points, the visibility is very poor at these crossing points.
STV News“We just don’t understand how this route is in anyway considered safe.
“I walked the route with my friend, its horrible, there are cars coming past very close, very fast, it’s not safe.”
Matthew Wayt added: “I’ve got three kids going to the school, when this all kicks off, they will be walking. One of them is 11. It’s just not a safe route, its not even close to being a safe route
“You’re terrified an accident could happen. This is a unique place; the high school serves so many villages surrounding. The public service cannot support that it needs to be the school buses.”
South Lanarkshire Council’s own consultation on the changes received overwhelming criticism – with comments including:
- “My son will be directly affected by the proposed changes…His education, safety, extracurricular activities and our family life will be adversely impacted”
- “I am also a member of staff at a secondary school and thing the reduction in provision of school transport in these areas to be ludicrous”
- “It is not safe, nor reasonable and will not save enough money to make it worthwhile
- “Our children’s safety is our main priority and for their transportation to be taking away from them is absolutely shameful”
A South Lanarkshire council spokesman said: “The decision to change the distance requirement for the provision of free transportation to mainstream secondary schools from August 2025 will bring South Lanarkshire into line with most other Scottish councils.
“Until that date, South Lanarkshire will have provided free transportation beyond the distances recommended by Scottish Government guidelines. Unfortunately, however, financial pressures mean moving to statutory arrangements is necessary to help us protect other parts of the education budget that directly affect pupils’ learning.
“Our consultation with parents and others in advance of the decision identified a number of requests for assessment of walking routes, including those from Blackwood and Kirkmuirhill to Lesmahagow High School. We will progress these road safety assessments as quickly as possible before any final decisions are taken on the safety of these and other routes.
“Where it is deemed that a route is not safe then free transportation will continue. Where routes are deemed to be safe we will work with schools to review travel plans and consider any actions that could lessen the impact on families and support more sustainable and active travel.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
