School transport review

Distance to schools in rural areas must be considered

Sir, – The review of school transport has been published. One of the recommendations is that from the academic year 2024-2025, the distance criteria on mainstream school transport schemes should be reduced to 2km for post-primary schools in rural areas.

I drive my children 4.5km to the nearest bus stop/pick-up point to meet a bus that will transport my children to the nearest post-primary school. This is not at all an unusual situation in rural areas. Maybe the fact that people travel much longer distances to reach a bus or pick-up point than the proposed distance criteria should be considered by the Department of Education. – Yours, etc,

GAIL HANBIDGE,

Co Wicklow.