Criticism after school bus cuts confirmed

Friday, 25 July 2025 09:22

By Chris Young, Local Democracy Reporter

The SM25 Ilkley to St Marys Menston school bus has been axed

A school bus service from Ilkley to Menston along with five others have been axed.

The West Yorkshire’s mayor has been asked how cutting school bus routes can be described as “creating a more equitable service” after West Yorkshire Combined Authority announced that six dedicated school bus routes would be scrapped from September 2026, including three serving Bradford schools and one serving a Menston school.

It came after a review of the school routes that the authority subsidises, with Mayor Tracy Brabin saying: “As we look to improve transport across West Yorkshire, we want to ensure services are equitable for all.”

Local services facing the chop were:

Bradford
B50 Eldwick to Beckfoot School
B99 Bradford city centre to Appleton Academy
S64 (Baildon to Titus Salt School) or S66 (Baildon Primary to Titus Salt School)
Calderdale
C6 Crossley Heath Grammar

Leeds
S62 Cockburn School
SM25 Ilkley to St Marys Menston

But previously under threat services, for pupils attending Bingley Gramar School and St Bede’s and St Joseph’s, look to be safe for the near future.
In each case, the authority said there were either alternate public transport services available, or that most children would be able to walk or cycle to school.

At a meeting on Thursday, members of the Combined Authority voted to approve changes to the policy and “engage with affected schools to plan for proposed changes to services”.

But some members were highly critical of the plans.

Councillor Stewart Golton (Lib Dem, Leeds) said:

“The primary driver behind this is presented as it being an issue of equity – that some parts are getting more than others.

“I believe instead of negotiating down, we should try to life everyone up to an equal benefit.

“Are we going to get into a system of rationing? I’m not sure how cutting services in Leeds and Bradford creates greater equity.”

Mayor Brabin said the planned franchised bus service – the Weaver Network, would improve buses across the board when it is introduced in 2027 and “connect young people to places they have never been connected to before”.

Tim Taylor, director of transport services, said Leeds and Bradford currently received higher subsidies for school buses than areas like Wakefield.
Councillor Alan Lamb (Cons, Wetherby) described the cuts as “an attack on choice”.

Pointing out that the authority had said some families would be able to walk and cycle to school if the routes were cut, he said:

“If walking and cycling was the best option for children they’d already be doing it. It is not for this authority to make that decision for them.”

Ms Brabin acknowledged the changes could prove “stressful” but said the Authority would work with schools between now and September 2026 to mitigate the changes.

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