❓ Alanna Clohesy questions the cancellation of school bus services to Pelican Respite for Ballajura residents. The Minister explains the decision was due to exceeding journey time limits and behavioural issues, with limited capacity for additional requests.
AnsweredQoN 254Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
PELICAN
RESPITE — BUS SERVICE
254. Hon ALANNA CLOHESY to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the cancellation of the former school bus services
to Pelican Respite for residents of Ballajura and surrounds.
(1) Can the minister explain why these services were
cancelled?
(2) Will the
minister urgently reinstall the previous bus service to ensure children with
disabilities do not continue to be disadvantaged by this decision?
RESPITE — BUS SERVICE
254. Hon ALANNA CLOHESY to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the cancellation of the former school bus services
to Pelican Respite for residents of Ballajura and surrounds.
(1) Can the minister explain why these services were
cancelled?
(2) Will the
minister urgently reinstall the previous bus service to ensure children with
disabilities do not continue to be disadvantaged by this decision?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
Complimentary travel is offered at various times to students who live on an ''orange''
school bus route but are not eligible for a dedicated school bus service
because they do not meet the eligibility criteria. This complimentary status
may be provided on the basis of spare seat capacity and provided no additional
cost is incurred by the Public Transport Authority. The decision to withdraw a complimentary
student from a school bus service is usually made when an eligible student
requires a seat on a bus that has reached full capacity.
In the case of respite centres,
transport assistance is generally only offered on a complimentary basis and
provided that the journey time for students does not exceed the 90-minute
maximum duration threshold. Transport assistance to Pelican Respite was
discontinued because the Burbridge Midland service was travelling in excess of
90 minutes one way and because the only student who would be attending the
respite facility, as advised by Pelican Respite, in 2015 was removed for
unacceptable behavioural issues.
The PTA has since received advice
from the contractor of the bus service that another family has requested
occasional transport to Pelican Respite, but unfortunately this request cannot
be accommodated for the reasons outlined above.
Complimentary travel is offered at various times to students who live on an ''orange''
school bus route but are not eligible for a dedicated school bus service
because they do not meet the eligibility criteria. This complimentary status
may be provided on the basis of spare seat capacity and provided no additional
cost is incurred by the Public Transport Authority. The decision to withdraw a complimentary
student from a school bus service is usually made when an eligible student
requires a seat on a bus that has reached full capacity.
In the case of respite centres,
transport assistance is generally only offered on a complimentary basis and
provided that the journey time for students does not exceed the 90-minute
maximum duration threshold. Transport assistance to Pelican Respite was
discontinued because the Burbridge Midland service was travelling in excess of
90 minutes one way and because the only student who would be attending the
respite facility, as advised by Pelican Respite, in 2015 was removed for
unacceptable behavioural issues.
The PTA has since received advice
from the contractor of the bus service that another family has requested
occasional transport to Pelican Respite, but unfortunately this request cannot
be accommodated for the reasons outlined above.
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