North Belfast: Mercy College pupils hit by free bus travel funding halt

Hundreds of pupils at a north Belfast post-primary school have been told they will no longer get free transport to and from school.

Mercy College is a large Catholic post-primary in the Ballysillan area of the city with more than 800 pupils.

The school had received funding from the Flax Trust for buses to transport the majority of pupils.

However, it has now emerged the school was unsuccessful in getting further funding.

The news came in a letter to parents from headteacher Martin Moreland.

Normally, pupils have to live more than three miles from their post-primary school to be eligible for free transport to school on Education Authority (EA) or Translink buses.

The majority of pupils at Mercy College live less than three miles from the school but had been able to travel on buses due to the previous funding.

Pupils are due to return for the new school year from Thursday, 1 September with all year groups back on Tuesday, 6 September.

In his letter to parents, Mr Moreland said that it was "with regret that I must inform you that there will no longer be free private transport for students to and from Mercy College".

"I am both disappointed and frustrated that, despite our best efforts, there has been no resolution to this," he wrote.

"If you would like your child to travel to and from school using Translink buses, depending on where you live, you should be aware that there may not be a suitable bus route for them.

"If you have no alternative but to let your child walk, I must urge that you discuss and advise your child on the safest route to and from Mercy."

Mr Moreland told BBC News NI: "As the new term is about to begin, I am extremely disheartened and disappointed that we are unable to offer transport options to over 800 pupils.

"This is a very frustrating time for our school community and as principal I feel powerless that, at this ninth hour, we are still unable to offer any answers to parents.

"I am struggling to find another school in Northern Ireland with no transport options available to pupils for the start of term next week.

"On a day that we should be focusing on our pupils' successes and their excellent examination results, my time has been unfairly preoccupied with this issue.

"A first day back for school pupils, particularly new Year 8 pupils, can be stressful enough, without the additional anxiety of worrying about how they will get to and from school."

BBC News NI understands that discussions are continuing to attempt to resolve the issue.

In the letter sent to parents, Mr Moreland went on to thank them for their "kind support" and said he was hopeful of a resolution at this late stage.