Surrey Council Revokes School Bus Passes, Citing “Safe Route” Over Fields and Railway

A family has been informed that their children’s complimentary bus passes have been discontinued, as a three-mile (4.8km) “safe route” to school, traversing fields and an unguarded railway line, has been identified. Joe Massey stated that Surrey County Council’s (SCC) decision left his family feeling “let down” and “frustrated” after his sons’ passes were withdrawn due to officials designating this route, which he characterized as “plain dangerous,” from South Nutfield to Carrington School in Redhill. The council has communicated with parents, advising that children should wear appropriate footwear for the walk, as a farmer’s field along the path is susceptible to flooding. Clare Curran, SCC’s cabinet member for children, families and lifelong learning, commented: “Amidst a set of challenging financial circumstances, the council is not in the position to continue to pay for transport for families due to a safe route being established.” She further explained that an annual bus pass on a public service incurs a cost of £881 per student per year for the council, and consequently, Mr Massey’s sons no longer met the eligibility criteria. The Surrey Travel & Assessment team, in collaboration with the Safer Travel team, made this decision. Typically, free bus access is granted to students residing more than three miles (4.8km) from their chosen school. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the proposed walking distance is 4.5km. Mr Massey indicated that his two sons, one in year 10 and the other in year seven, would be impacted by this change. The family recounted “wading through mud” when they attempted the “unsuitable” hour-long walk, which they believe exceeds three miles. “It’s just plain dangerous,” Mr Massey reiterated. The father expressed being “extremely frustrated” by the situation, asserting that “there’s no way in hell you’d send your child on that route”. He concluded, “We just feel let down and the option they’ve given us is just unbelievable.” The councillor informed that the family has the option to appeal the decision.