School transport: Children 'let down' by dropped changes

Children are being "let down" by a decision not to change school transport laws, the Children's Commissioner for Wales has said.

Councils have to provide free transport if pupils live three miles (4.8km) or more from a secondary school or two miles or more from a primary school.

Considered reforms included reducing the distance children travel to school before they qualify for free transport.

But the Welsh government said major changes were not affordable.

Rocio Cifuentes said limits on distance were "too high" and could affect attendance at school.

Ms Cifuentes said she was considering using her legal powers to challenge the government.

She said the lack of a legal duty on councils to provide transport for students over 16, or for young people with additional learning needs, were also concerns.

She said there should also be risk assessments on routes children had to walk to get to bus stops.

The Welsh government report said councils' school transport costs - which are about £160m a year - had increased significantly due to higher fuel prices, driver shortages and the availability of buses.

It said "any changes would require significant Welsh government investment that, currently, cannot be afforded".

Wider reform to the bus industry was another reason not to proceed with changes to the law, the government added.

Where possible, school transport would be rolled into scheduled bus services to "avoid expensive duplication", said Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change.

The government promised a "comprehensive update" to school transport guidance which would make the situation more consistent across Wales.

But Ms Cifuentes said it was "totally inadequate" and they had "let children down".

"It is clear that children across Wales are facing barriers just to access their education, a fundamental right for all," she said.

"On top of a cost-of-living crisis and concerns about declining school attendance, it is unacceptable that the government has not taken the steps promised by the interim review to firmly get to grips with the persistent challenges faced by children in getting to school safely."