❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the challenges faced by wheatbelt families due to increasing farm sizes and the limitations of school bus spur lengths, impacting access to education and family life. The government acknowledges the issue and states the policy is under review, highlighting cost and time implications of extending spur lengths.
AnsweredQoN 1289Legislative Assembly
Asked
27 November 2001
Member
Portfolio
Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Government aware of problems facing parents in wheatbelt areas where, as farm sizes increase, the distances needing to be travelled by school buses between individual pick up/drop off points is also increasing?
(2) Is the Government aware that, in particular, the current restriction on the maximum length of spur (7.5km) is discouraging farmers from living on the more remote farms in some Shires, due to the non-availability of school bus services to these farms?
(3) Is the Government aware that some parents are travelling up to 120km per day to drop off/pick up their children from some school bus services?
(4) Is the review, being undertaken by the Member for Wanneroo, able to examine this issue of hardship for some families in the wheatbelt caused by the school bus spur length being far too short?
(5) If not, can the Government internally review the spur length with a view of assessing the cost and desirability of increasing the spur length to 30km, especially in the eastern wheatbelt?
(2) Is the Government aware that, in particular, the current restriction on the maximum length of spur (7.5km) is discouraging farmers from living on the more remote farms in some Shires, due to the non-availability of school bus services to these farms?
(3) Is the Government aware that some parents are travelling up to 120km per day to drop off/pick up their children from some school bus services?
(4) Is the review, being undertaken by the Member for Wanneroo, able to examine this issue of hardship for some families in the wheatbelt caused by the school bus spur length being far too short?
(5) If not, can the Government internally review the spur length with a view of assessing the cost and desirability of increasing the spur length to 30km, especially in the eastern wheatbelt?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 February 2002
Responded by
Minister for Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
84 days
(2) The student transport assistance program seeks to provide the greatest benefits possible from limited resources. The time students spent on the bus was a significant concern raised by parents during the Review of Transport Assistance. The cost in time and money can be significantly increased by spurs. For example, a 7.5 km spur consumes 15 minutes of the maximum 90 minutes allowable for a school bus run and costs around $10,000 a year. (3) Yes (4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
The time students spent on the bus was a significant concern raised by parents during the Review of Transport Assistance. The cost in time and money can be significantly increased by spurs. For example, a 7.5 km spur consumes 15 minutes of the maximum 90 minutes allowable for a school bus run and costs around $10,000 a year. (3) Yes (4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(3) Yes (4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
The time students spent on the bus was a significant concern raised by parents during the Review of Transport Assistance. The cost in time and money can be significantly increased by spurs. For example, a 7.5 km spur consumes 15 minutes of the maximum 90 minutes allowable for a school bus run and costs around $10,000 a year. (3) Yes (4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(3) Yes (4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(4) Yes (5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
(5) Although the spurs policy is under review it is worth noting that a 30 km spur would add 60 minutes to a bus route (leaving only 30 minutes to pick up other students) and cost $40,000 per annum.
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