SAVE OUR SCHOOL BUSES

Posted on 30 April 2023 by Martin

  • In March, RCAG launched our ’New Schools for Ravenscraig’ campaign.
  • On 23rd March we hosted an online public meeting with councillors and council chiefs.
  • We shared our learning in a new ’10 things you need to know about Ravenscraig’ newsletter.
  • We committed to fighting council cuts to Ravenscraig free school busses until our long-proimsed new, local schools are delivered.
  • We’ve now made the case for retention in our formal submission to the council and have met with councillors, the Convener of Education, our MSPs and MP.
  • In addition to the council’s consultation, have your say in an online survey hosted by Clare Adamson MSP and Marion Fellows MP.

SAVE OUR SCHOOL BUSES:
RCAG RESPONSE TO NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL CONSULTATION

Ravenscraig Community Action Group (RCAG), fostering families, community and sustainable place making at the heart of one of Europe’s largest urban transformation programmes, is firmly opposed to the proposals which would see a significant reduction and in some cases withdrawal of free school bus provision from Ravenscraig.

Safe and accessible local schools matters to us all but the new schools our community was promised at Ravenscraig haven’t been delivered and now the council is proposing ending school transport for our children to existing schools.

The Action Group recently launched a new campaign focused on securing new, long promised, primary schools for Ravenscraig and securing free school bus provision to surrounding schools until such times as the new schools are built.

The Action Group recently met with Provost Kenneth Duffy, representatives of all political parties, Pamela Humphries, Chief Officer, Place, North Lanarkshire Council and Pauline O’Neill, Education Manager, North Lanarkshire Council. The group was grateful for the positive engagement with both officers.

During a digital public meeting hosted by RCAG on 23rd March 2023, both reconfirmed the authority’s commitment to the two schools. 

A spokesperson for North Lanarkshire Council said: “We remain 100 per cent committed to delivering a new community hub, which will include two new primary schools, within Ravenscraig. 

“This project is expected to be delivered as part of the next capital programme allocation for the Town and Community Hub Programme of Work. The next capital programme is expected to commence in April 2024. 

Ms. Humphries confirmed that the council would this year receive ‘an initial £4.7 m payment….. as a contribution to the first primary school, and Ravenscraig Ltd have also agreed to transfer the SC site to the council for the purposes of delivering the primary school. I can further confirm that the payment, once received, will be ringfenced and will only be used for the purposes of education provision for the Ravenscraig development. 

With a circa three-year planning and build programme, current estimates for delivery

(subject to capital programme timelines) could see both schools open after 2027.

The authority, in policy papers and in public statements, recognises that unlike other areas, the site currently suffers from poor access and is investing in multi-modal access improvements inc safe walking, cycling and public transport provision. Whilst some local access (eg to Craigneuk) has been provided, many of the improvements to areas required to access main access points are some years off.

The authority also recognises again, unlike other areas, that the site currently suffers from poor public transport provision and the authority is working with partners to address this. The proposed provision is unlikely to provide a feasible solution to replacing the proposed withdrawal of school bus provision.

North Lanarkshire’s Provost and local elected members recognise both the yet undelivered commitments the authority has made to the new community of Ravenscraig and the unique nature of both the current near-term access and public transport challenges at the site. 

The areas is subject to a significant speculative large-scale industrial proposal which would see 800 HGV movements in phase one of the development alone. North Lanarkshire Council rejected the application in December 2022 and despite commitments not to appeal, the developer submitted an appeal to the Scottish Ministers which is with them for consideration.

In their committee report and in their case for rejection, officials and members noted the significant risk this development poses to residents, to pedestrian and road safety which must be considered given potential for approval.

Recognising these unique and particular challenges, in addition to the lack of safe walking routes to current primary and secondary schools, parents and families across the site are calling on North Lanarkshire Council to maintain provision across the Ravenscraig site at current levels in the medium-term until the proposed new schools are delivered.

A commitment to doing so would ensure the council maintains its commitments to the provision of safe routes to school until such time as new local provision is delivered. 

The authority should avoid double disadvantaging Ravenscraig, recognising it is currently achieving savings by the re-profiling investment in new, local schools into the next capital programme. The savings profile can and should be balanced when the new, long promised local schools are delivered.

Ravenscraig Community Action Group is committed to continuing to work positively with North Lanarkshire Council and is hopeful the above points will be considered.

More information on the group and it’s work is available from : http://www.ravenscraig.org

NLC School Transport Proposals Survey

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