Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, brought forward his ongoing campaign to provide rural young people with affordable, sustainable, and fair transport in Parliament.
The Cumbrian MP quizzed Education Minister, Alex Burghart, about the detrimental transport policy that can penalise those living in remote areas. Currently education or training is mandatory for everyone until the age of 18 but there is no legal requirement to provide transport for young people past 16. This means those in isolated areas must either pay increasingly high amounts or limit their options.
This follows the launch of Dr Hudson’s petition calling for affordable, sustainable, and fair educational transport solutions for 16–18-year-olds. To help secure a brighter future for our young people sign here. [hyperlink here]
Having spoken to students and teachers across the constituency about their concerns that young folk are being forced to take negative life-changing choices due to the spiralling rural transport costs, Dr Hudson was pleased to be able to raise their plight in the House of Commons.
Dr Neil Hudson, MP for Penrith and The Border, asked: “Currently, 16 to 18-year-olds must legally continue education or training but are not entitled to transport. That penalises young folk living in rural areas such as Alston Moor, where the nearest college is 20 miles away and public transport is poor. I have started a petition calling for fair post-16 transport. Does the Minister agree with my petitioners that transport should not be a barrier to accessing education? Will the Government address the problem through legislation?”
Alex Burghart, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, replied: “I thank my hon. Friend for his question. He will know that it is local authorities, rather than the Department for Education, that have responsibility for transport to education. I understand that Cumbria County Council already provides some support for travel to college for students who are disadvantaged. It is also possible to top that money up with our 16 to 19 bursary, but I am happy to discuss the matter with him further.”
Speaking afterwards, Dr Hudson added: “If our young people’s prospects continue to be hindered by poor rural transport then we have failed them. It really is as simple as that. That is why I will continue to raise this issue with all levels of government and work towards a sustainable long-term solution for our young people. I want to see the Government change the law and mandate local authorities to provide post 16 transport, rather than the unsatisfactory discretionary model currently where Councils can opt not to do this.”
“I thank the Minister for engaging with me and look forward to working with the Government to fix a system that clearly penalises children growing up in rural areas such as ours.”
