Students in Wirral are set to benefit from a £1.2 million boost for new dedicated school and college transport to get them to school or college in the autumn term.
This funding will help Merseytravel to create extra capacity and allow hundreds more students to use alternatives to public transport, while social distancing measures remain in place.
Students and staff who have the option to walk, cycle or use a scooter are encouraged to do so, benefitting from £2 billion of government investment to increase active travel.
The Chair of Wirral’s Children and Families Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Wendy Clements (Conservative, Greasby, Frankby, Irby Ward) said: “Many students in Wirral have no other option than public transport, so our share of this extra money will mean more students will be able to travel on dedicated home to school and college transport.
Wirral continues to have a statutory duty to provide free home to school transport for all eligible children of compulsory school age, including children who attend their nearest suitable school and whose special educational needs and disabilities mean they are unable to walk there.
The Department for Transport has also today announced further funding for the bus and light rail sectors to help increase services ahead of expected increase in public transport use in September.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added: “This funding will allow local authorities to procure dedicated extra capacity in our transport system to help students get back to their colleges and schools in time for the education restart in September.
“But we need everyone to do their bit and help even further by cycling or walking where they can, whether they’re a student going back to school or a parent commuting into work. We’re making sure people have the support they need to do that, with £2 billion of investment backing our ambitious new Cycling and Walking plan unveiled by the Prime Minister last week.”
