Contact: Andy Berncastle, ext 6921 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 A parent has appealed, on road safety grounds, against the refusal to provide free transport from Lasham to St Mary's CE Primary School in Bentworth.

2. Background

2.1 In 1995 the Education Committee reviewed its previous more generous policy on entitlement to free transport from home to school. Children from the village of Lasham attend St Mary's Primary School in Bentworth; some 1.8 miles from the centre of Lasham, and therefore do not now qualify for free transport; the required distance for children under eight years old is two miles, and for those over eight it is three miles.

2.2 Parents in Lasham appealed in 1995 but this was rejected by the School Transport Appeals Panel on 1 December 1995.

2.3 Subsequently no transport has been provided but a parent has now lodged a fresh appeal.

3. The Appeal

3.1 The route has to be considered against the normal criteria (Appendix 1). Appendix 2 shows the route.

3.2 Correspondence from the parents is attached as Appendix 3 (confidential).

3.3 The route in Lasham and from Lasham to the A339 has no pavements and varies in width between 12 feet and 16 feet. Most of the distance has good visibility. When inspected on 19 May 2006 at the relevant time, 12 vehicles passed northbound, and six southbound, in the 16 minutes it took to walk from Church Farm to the A339. It is suggested that the principal concerns about safety arise from the limited visibility on the bends in Lasham.

3.4 It is acknowledged that traffic on the A339 travels at 50-60 mph at the crossroads. However, the level of traffic observed on 19 May offered ample opportunity to cross safely. Visibility is good in both directions.

3.5 Between the A339 and Bentworth, most of the route is slightly more open in character than on the Lasham side of the A339. Most of the route is some 18 feet wide, with good visibility. On 19 May, traffic amounted to 23 vehicles northbound and eight southbound, in the 23 minutes taken to walk from the A339 to the school.

3.6 It is suggested that the relatively light levels of traffic and generally good visibility support the previous (1995) panel decision, that the route is available for children of primary age, accompanied as necessary.

4. Conclusion

4.1 Members will have had the opportunity to inspect the walking route. The County Council's position is that, under the criteria, the walking route is available.

4.2 It is for Members to consider, following the guidance set out in paragraph 2.12 and 2.13 of Appendix 1:

(i) whether the nature of the route, or an alternative route, means that it is available for children if unaccompanied; and

(ii) if the answer to (i) is no, whether the route is available if accompanied.

4.3 If the answer to (ii) is yes, separate consideration by the Children's Services Department would be given to any representations by parents or carers who are unable to accompany their children by virtue of individual circumstances.

9377/AB