The following residents of the ACT draw to the attention of the Assembly the ACT Government’s proposed cancellation of most current school bus services will force students as young as 5yrs to catch public buses to and from school and go through major interchanges to catch connecting buses. Many students who currently catch one school bus will need to catch three public buses and go through major interchanges.
The ACT Government’s public consultation was not advertised well enough for many Canberrans to be aware of it. The consultation has ended with much of the public not realising these changes were being discussed. We are concerned about the validity of the data used by the ACT Government to make the decisions to cut school bus services.
Many parents don’t feel comfortable letting their young children catch public buses to and from school and will drive them instead, increasing traffic at school drop off and collection times which many people already know to be a fraught time. We would like to think we live in a safe city where every person is wonderful and safe to be around. Sadly, this is not reality.
Your petitioners, therefore, request the Assembly to call on the ACT Government to reopen public consultation on proposed school bus changes; consult thoroughly with all major stakeholders of the school bus services, including school administrators, teachers, parents and students; keep the safety of our children as a priority; and retain all current school bus services throughout 2019.