Local Bus Services Travel to School 2024-11-21
2024-11-21
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Parents in Tunbridge Wells are concerned about their children's travel to school via local buses. The No. 2 and No. 297 buses present issues with either being too early or arriving late.
In my constituency, parents have told me about difficulties that their children face in getting to Skinners' Kent academy due to timing issues with the No. 2 and No. 297 buses. The No. 2 arrives 90 minutes early, while the No. 297 is 15 minutes late. Over a school year, this amounts to 50 hours of missed education time. Kent received £23 million for bus services. What will be done to ensure that this funding increases the frequency of services so children can arrive on time?
Kent county council has been given £23.1 million as part of our £1 billion package for buses. We expect to see a better bus service across the country in the future, particularly addressing rural underfunding issues.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not address the specific ask about increasing frequency with allocated budget.
Under Review
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Parents in Tunbridge Wells have contacted the MP about issues with local buses and children's travel to school. The No. 2 and No. 79 buses provide insufficient service.
A group of parents have expressed concerns over their children's access to Skinners' Kent academy via the No. 2 or No. 79 bus services, noting that the No. 2 arrives too early, while the No. 79 is late by 15 minutes, resulting in a significant loss of educational time over the year.
For logistic reasons, closed school services are not currently included in the fare cap scheme. However, we expect to see significant improvements across our country's bus services following a £1 billion investment package.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not address the specific ask about better service frequency and punctuality with allocated budget.
Logistic Reasons
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Parents have contacted the MP about concerns regarding school transport costs and eligibility for bus fare caps.
Over recent weeks, parents have inquired whether school transport can be included within the scope of the current bus fare cap scheme. Will the Department agree to review this issue?
Services from participating operators that serve schools are open to the public and run all year, making them eligible for inclusion in the scheme. However, closed school services cannot currently be included due to logistical reasons.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not address the specific ask about reviewing eligibility of school transport within fare cap.
Logistical Reasons
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
Concerns raised about the accessibility of educational opportunities due to high costs associated with bus fare and lack of concessionary travel rights.
A constituent has contacted me regarding their inability to afford college attendance due to a £1,500 annual cost. Is it not reasonable that children should have access to concessionary bus travel on par with pensioners?
As a former teacher, I understand the importance of getting students to their educational institutions. The £1 billion investment in bus services aims at improving access to education for young people through better local service integration.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not address the specific ask about extending national-level concessionary travel rights.
Local Service Improvements
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Rural communities in towns and villages often rely on buses for daily activities, including children's travel to school. The reliability and punctuality of these services are critical.
In Holwell, my constituency, families depend heavily on buses for day-to-day needs and children's education. However, the lack of reliable service is increasingly making it hard for them to count on regular schedules. What new powers and funding will be given to transport authorities to help ensure punctuality?
The £955 million investment aims at giving local communities the necessary tools to hold operators accountable for bus service punctuality, ensuring young people reach their educational institutions on time.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer did not address specifics of new powers and funding provided.
Response accuracy