A senior councillor has spoken about school transport amid fears over a change to eligibility.

A new North Yorkshire Council policy, agreed in July, restricts free home-to-school transport to those attending the nearest school.

But it means to be eligible, some pupils from the Yorkshire Dales could have to travel to schools over 45 minutes away, or in another county. Nearest schools have been identified through a digital tool.

The tool, which hasn’t yet been fully implemented, uses the shortest route by road, irrespective of its nature.

(Image: GOOGLE MAPS/PA MEDIA)

Concerns about the digital tool have been raised by parents and headteachers.

In response, at a North Yorkshire Council Richmond Area Committee meeting on Wednesday, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson said that where children go to school is down to parents’ choices.

“The tool is accurate, with reports of children going to schools outside the county. With such rural locations and a sprawling county, this is to be expected,” Cllr Wilkinson told the meeting.

“We run 600 routes to schools in North Yorkshire, which have been successful year after year.”

Cllr Wilkinson added that risk assessments are carried out on every route the council runs. Further discussions and research are to be done about the digital school transport tool and, Cllr Wilkinson will update the committee in the future.