SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is backing a call for fairer funding for student transport in his region.
Mr Rowlands is supporting Yana Williams, Chief Executive of Coleg Cambria Coleg Cambria, who is calling for Wales-wide Student Transport Equity.
Mr Rowlands, a great admirer of Coleg Cambria and its achievements said he was alarmed and concerned about the current system.
He said: “I share the concern of Ms Williams as it certainly does seem a very unfair system and needs to be addressed.
“It is a great shame that the college is going to have to introduce transport costs for students living more than three miles from its campuses because of rising costs and budget restraints.
“Quite clearly this will be an added burden on those attending colleges and I think the Welsh Government need to do more to address this issue.
“We want to encourage young people over 16 years to further their education and paying for transport to and from home to college can be a great stumbling block to some students.”
Yana Williams, Chief Executive of Coleg Cambria, expressed her disappointment with the current system, highlighting the stark disparity in support, with some local authorities funding free bus travel for post-16 learners while others provide none.
She said: “It is fundamentally unfair that where a student lives determines their access to education.
Many of our learners will be forced to choose between essential living and learning materials and paying for bus fares, something other students in Wales don’t have to make a decision on – this is unacceptable.”
From September, Coleg Cambria will be forced to implement subsidised rather than free transport for students living more than three miles from its campuses in Wrexham, Deeside, Llysfasi, and Northop.
For many years Coleg Cambria has funded all its students’ transport costs, at a cost of over £2.4 million annually.
Mr Williams added: “Coleg Cambria urges the Welsh Government to act decisively and implement a Wales-wide, equitable transport funding policy that prioritises student potential and ensures all learners can pursue their educational aspirations without financial barriers.”
