| “As a result, the Board had to prioritise the services it could continue to fund and with the greatest regret members decided at a meeting in March 2005 to remove the early afternoon service – commonly referred to as the ‘two o’clock service’.
“This service cost the SELB approximately £620,000 per year. The early afternoon service, provided by SELB buses and private operators contracted by the Board, ceased at the end of the last school year.
“Children who would have availed of the early afternoon service and who are eligible for transport assistance are eligible for this assistance at the later scheduled time.
“The SELB was the only Board providing a complete service to all eligible pupils who would otherwise receive the service at the later scheduled time.”
The Department of Education’s school transport policy has been in place since 1996. The SELB has a statutory duty to provide transport assistance for eligible pupils. The main criterion for eligibility is distance from the nearest suitable school – two miles for primary school and three miles for post primary. The other criteria are a statement of special educational needs where the statement indicates that transport assistance is required,and exceptional circumstances, for example, a medical condition or an exceptional road safety hazard. After the requirements of all eligible pupils have been met, the Board may offer seats to pupils on a concessionary basis. Concessionary seats are surplus seats after eligible pupils have been accommodated and must not involve the Board in any unnecessary public expenditure.
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