My Council wants to axe the buses that take disabled teens to school and college- please help!

[BitOfFun]

We parents have set up a petition to let people know what they're up to and ask them to reconsider. These cuts will have a DEVASTATING impact on the kids who use this service.

The link asks that you be a Sefton resident, but it actually isn't essential: after all, we all know families and friends (me, for a start ) who will be affected if these cuts go ahead. And once one council gets away with it, you can be sure others will follow. Conversely, if one group of parents can show that we won't go down without a fight, it makes it harder for councils in other boroughs to attack similar services.

Please please sign and share on social media if possible.

thanks

It only takes a second, and it could make such a difference. Don't make me beg!

OK, I'm begging.

signed

In Hampshire the buses have been cut such that some areas have no public transport at all ever
nyada
so kids who were on courses now cannot get to them
let alone any resident who cannot drive

sadly without regulated buses

• like they have in London, where the politicians live

we are screwed

but because the decision makers live where the problem ISN't, we are screwed

Done, I'm in Sefton as well, and although my DS doesn't need transport now, he might in the future (ASD)

Signed and about to share

I have signed , good luck

Our council have already done this.

My friends DS who is 16, has had to give up his place at a SN FE unit because he couldn't get there and back on public transport. The council offered him a bus pass but that's no use to someone who can't actually get a bus due to the nature of their SN

I'll sign though in the hope it stops anyone else having to see their child give up on their education.

I really appreciate you all helping like this- it just seems so disgusting that the council can even consider, well, throwing disabled kids under the bus like this. They seem to have no conception of how shattering their safe access to an education will be.

Is it ok to sign although I live hundreds of miles away?

Princess, that is DISGRACEFUL, I'm so sorry. What is the world coming to?

Yes, RJ. Obviously we are trying really hard to get locals to sign, for the extra clout, but it still helps to have others back us.

Bloody hell princess
I am horrified that this is happening.
How can this even be legal now that children have to stay in school till 18? If they can't get there, then they can't go to school surely?

Exactly.

I would be happy to sign but do you realise the council can disregard signatures that aren't local? My sister works for her local council and they have been petitioned by a fairly persistent woman who claimed to have thousands of signatures and it turned out to be only about 100 who had relevant interest.

I will share on social media though, and I very much hope you are successful.

I think even if the council choose to disregard signatures which aren't local, posting on a forum like this raises awareness and could help to prevent councils sneaking in cuts like this through the back door.

Have signed but not local. My daughter is post 16 transport user. Have you got local MPs/councillors on board?

I've signed and have been sharing, it's just bloody awful.

MNers were fabulous and helped me out so I hope they do you too. I just hope that some joyless cunt doesn't report this thread like they did mine.

They WILL take notice of a lot of signatures regardless of where they're from. Any public body hates it when their despicable behaviour is publicised widely.

Yy iniac. And the council has conceded that people out of borough may well have family and friends in Sefton more directly affected, so it all helps.

I'd especially encourage you to share it on your social media if you DO have contacts in Merseyside (and more so, this particular area).

Oh it's ok, because they'll be tagged so when they go missing they can be found.

Nothing wrong with that at all. It's not the least bit degrading, humiliating or, erm fucking pointless waste of resources to go looking for people who aren't where they are supposed to be and may be hurt or distressed.

I'm taking a paper version of the petition around locally, as are other parents, so hopefully we we still get the numbers we need even if the Council decide to disregard other signatures, but I think it lends a bit of weight to our campaign if they realise that people around the country think they are a stinking ROTTEN BOROUGH for trying to foist this on us.

So it all helps.

There is very very little that councils can do

children who are still in SCHOOL have to be funded
the second they go to a college - as almost all the 6th form here in Hampshire is - the funding is discretionary

central government grants to councils for rural transport were cut to zero last year
and councils have had a 40% cut in central funding in the last 5 years
and the cost of Adult soccial care (old people's homes) keeps rising

top up subsidies for Rural buses are an easy thing to cut
suburban buses that are not full are next on the list

nb without subsidies the companies - like Stagecoach and First - will cut the service

TBH the best outcome is NOT to lobby upwards, but to talk to your Parish council if you have one and get a Community bus started ..... it can be done within a term ....

Thinking about rotten boroughs, have you thought about sending it all to Private Eye? They love a good local council twattishness story.

That's appalling, BoF. Have you tried speaking to the councillor for your particular ward?

Also, with the May elections coming up, you might be able to convince the minority party on your council (googling says this is Lib Dems?) to campaign on this and force the controlling party's hand; picking on disabled children generally doesn't sit too well with the electorate...