The loss of some rural bus routes is angering a Hawkes Bay community. Image by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">The Ministry of Education will stop nine rural bus runs and restructure three others that transport students from a rural community to schools in Napier and Hastings. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The loss of these routes will impact over 350 students, though they will continue running until the end of the year. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Locals in Te Pōhue, around 40 minutes&#8217; drive from Napier, are angry at the decision, which they say wasn’t made in proper consultation with the community. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“They’re making me decide whether or not my 17-year-old daughter goes back for last year because we don’t have that bus now,” said local mother Michelle Codd. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Our rural communities depend on [buses], especially if our kids can’t go to a boarding school,” said Johnella Condon Orr. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_31159" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-31159" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="size-medium wp-image-31159" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/AdobeStock_42642376-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-31159" class="wp-caption-text">Image: AdobeStock by Rafael Ben-Ari</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sandra Hazlehurst, Mayor of Hastings, said she was unhappy with the lack of consultation done by the Ministry. She believed they should consult with the community to create effective solutions rather than instating “blanket cuts for the sake of it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The Ministry of Education said that the buses they provide are a last resort, and said students in Te Pōhue are not going to their nearest school, or they have other means of transport available. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">According to the Ministry, William Colenso College in Napier is the closest school to Te Pōhue. Other schools where Te Pōhue students are currently enrolled are a few minutes further away. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">James Meffan from the Ministry of Education said it was their policy to deliver bus services “only to eligible students, so we apply a range of eligibility criteria.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">“Wherever we draw a line&#8230; some people will not win and others will. It’s always disappointing to be on the wrong side of that line.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Meffan said that the eligibility criteria for bus routes is clear, therefore there has been no consultation with the community for changes to bus routes. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">On their website, the Ministry of Education noted that routes may be moved or shortened if location of eligible students changes. Routes may also be stopped if the Ministry of Education “establishes that the service isn’t viable anymore.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Eligibility criteria for school transport assistance, including the use of Ministry funded school buses are: </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<ol>
<li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:0,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769242";:[65533,0],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";%1.";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">The school must be the closest state or state-integrated school where the student can enrol.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></li>
<li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:0,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769242";:[65533,0],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";%1.";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Students in years 1 – 8 must live at least 3.2 km from the school using the shortest public road or pedestrian route from their home’s roadside gate to the school’s front gate. Students in Years 9 – 13 must live at least 4.8 km from the school. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></li>
<li data-leveltext="%1." data-font="" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:0,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769242";:[65533,0],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";%1.";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">There must be no suitable public transport that travels within 2.4 km of the student’s roadside gate and 2.4 km of the closest appropriate school. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></li>
</ol>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Students may be eligible for a daily conveyance allowance if they meet all three criteria and there is no school bus available, or they live more than 2.4 km from the nearest school bus route. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Around 1400 daily bus routes are contracted by the Ministry of Education across the country. According to 1News, 130 have been reviewed this year. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:279}"> </span></p>

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