'Inspiring' pupils praised after bus cuts protest

Pupils who protested against plans to axe their school bus services have been described as "inspiring" at a council meeting.

The controversial proposals to cancel routes serving St Bede's and St Joseph's Catholic School and Bingley Grammar School were debated by Bradford councillors on Tuesday night.

Before the meeting, dozens of children from the two schools affected by the cuts held a demonstration demanding the authority reverse the decision which is expected to save £500,000 a year.

Independent Councillor Muhammed Ali Islam told the meeting it was "inspiring to see so many young people fighting for what they believe in today."

Two separate petitions relating to the under-threat services were presented to officials during the meeting.

The Bingley petitioners argued it was not viable for pupils who currently use the service to switch to public transport, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They said it would lead to pupils either having to be ferried to school by car, or walk to school on dangerous roads.

Georgina Clayton, who started the St Bede's and St Joseph's petition, said: "The transport network is not fit to take 900 children.

"West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has a vision to change bus services, but that won't be fully realised until 2028.

"Children can't rely on a vision to get to school."

Two motions calling for the proposals to be scrapped and the services retained were also debated.

Islam, who tabled one of the motions, pointed out that a single double-decker bus could remove up to 75 cars from a road.

Councillor Matt Edwards, who tabled the second motion, told the meeting: "Too often we let politics happen to us, today shows how important it is to take part in politics."

Councillor Brendan Stubbs pointed out that the council's website says "the voice of the child is heard in what we do."

He added: "This proposal is the opposite of that statement. It is a terrible step backwards. Of all the savings you could make, this is the worst."

The authority's leader Susan Hinchcliffe also complimented the young people who came to City Hall to protest.

She said the cuts were still just proposals, and would not be decided until the consultation ends on 18 December.

"We're still working through consultations with the schools, families and pupils", she said.

"Only after that can we make a decision."

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