News / An ‘unacceptable’ journey
EIGHT Shetland Islands Council members along with officials and education committee members endured a three hour bus journey on Monday night to experience what pupils as young as 11 will go through if they close Aith junior high school.
Parents on Shetland’s west side organised the bus trip to press home what they regarded as an unacceptably long journey.
The organisers said they were disappointed that education and families committee chair Vaila Wishart and SIC leader Gary Robinson could not attend the event.
Councillors who did board the bus were Allan Wishart, Theo Smith, Frank Robertson, Billy Fox, Gary Cleaver, Peter Campbell, George Smith and Davie Sandison.
Religious representatives on the education committee Radina MacKay and Tom McIntyre were also there, along with Helen Budge and Shona Thompson from children’s services and Michael Craigie from transport.
The political passengers were given the full school bus experience from Anderson High School out to the west side.
They were given a running commentary as they travelled about the safety concerns along the way, including accident blackspots, along with a collection of statements from pupils past and present.
After disembarking at Bixter to see where feeder buses collect west side children, they continued through Effirth, Sand, Reawick and Skeld to reach Westerskeld, a journey of one hour and 35 minutes.
Interviewed afterwards on BBC Radio Shetland, environment and transport committee chair Allan Wishart said he was struck by the level of concern about transport amongst parents.
However he also stressed the huge financial challenge facing the council. “It’s been quite informative, but now is not the time to make up our minds about this and we still have to figure out how the council is going to save over £30 million a year,” he said.
Children’s services director Helen Budge said the council had to look at how to minimise the length of bus journey children must take to school, but stressed that such issues would be thoroughly examined during the consultation process.
Others on board commented that such a bus journey was far too long for any young child.
West side parent Leanne Johnson who helped organise the trip said she thought the exercise had helped to enlighten decision makers.
“At the end of the day it is essential that bairns get the best education, but it is unacceptable for them to endure a three hour bus trip, every day, five days a week for up to six years,” she said.
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