Credibility Lost

What follows is the incredible letter sent to the Scottish Parliament Education committee from none other than Mhairi Shaw in 2005. It shatters all the Council's arguments in their own words highlighting the current ridiculous state of affairs.

With regard to the continued use of the two and three mile walking distance, this authority has for many years operated to a one mile threshold in respect of all primary school pupils, and from 1998 has operated a three mile threshold in respect of secondary school pupils. This policy currently affords an additional 1500 primary school pupils, in general terms, a facility which they would otherwise not enjoy, at an additional cost to the authority of some £350,000 annually in comparison to the legal obligation in respect of the two and three mile thresholds.

It is the authority's view that in some instances a return to statutory provision only might encourage some pupils who have until now enjoyed a free transport facility, to walk to school. With such an increase there may however be a knock on increase in risk to pupils who would thus be exposed to the dangers of traffic at crossing points, for example. Further, it is thought more likely that the vast majority of pupils, particularly in an area where car ownership is comparatively high, are likely to be added to "school run" statistics, where parents drop them off at school and return for them in the afternoon. Within such a scenario it is therefore felt that in terms of congestion, pollution and increased risk to pupils resulting from greatly increased car usage in and around schools, the net outcome would be detrimental to them. Indeed, it could be argued that a reduction in the walking distance thresholds, with the requisite resources provided to local authorities to fund additional vehicles, would allow for a safer environment to pupils travelling to school on a daily basis either by walking or travelling by school transport, by substantially reducing the volume of vehicles in and around schools while reducing pollution from car emissions simultaneously.

I trust you will find these views helpful and thank you on
behalf of the Director for the opportunity to comment.

Yours
sincerely,
Mhairi Shaw
(Acting) Head of Service
(Curriculum & Policy Development)

© The Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO. Reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland.