As the Summer term starts local Liberal Democrat campaigner, Justine McGuinness, warned that free school buses for children in rural West Dorset were under threat by Government plans to abolish free school buses. The Government plans to remove free travel for children who travel more than three miles to school (two miles for those under eight). Ms McGuinness is asking people to sign her petition.

“This Government seems determined to hit all things rural. Many of our children in West Dorset simply can not get to school without the bus. They are going to be the hardest hit. Local salaries are some of the lowest in the country. I know families who find it hard enough to make ends meet without the worry of having to pay for their children to get to school. I am asking people to sign my petition to say no to the ending of free school buses.”

The Government’s own pilot study suggests that where services are being introduced to shift school run traffic from cars to buses parents appeared unwilling to pay more than £1 a day, a sum that does not cover the full cost of the service.

Research by the Liberal Democrats shows that school run traffic could increase by 18 per cent under new Government proposals to end the automatic entitlement to free school transport, the opposite of what is actually intended by the draft School Transport Bill.

Justine McGuinness commented: “It is environmental madness to be encouraging even more cars on the school run - making our roads more congested and adding to climate changing Carbon Dioxide emissions.

“Ending free school transport, taken together with the introduction of Tuition Fees, shows that the Labour Government’s pledge of ‘Education, Education, Education’ is now yet another broken promise. Mr Blair has shown that he does not know or care about people who live in rural Britain.”

The Government’s draft School Transport Bill would allow Local Education Authorities to charge all but a minority of children for their bus travel. Research by the Liberal Democrats shows that 600,000 school children could lose their right to free school transport if Government proposals were rolled out across the whole of England.

Justine McGuinness, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for West Dorset today wrote to Prince Charles to ask for help sorting out the mess following the felling of trees on the Bridport Road, Poundbury where an avenue of trees has been ruined. Commenting on her letter to HRH Prince Charles, Justine McGuinness said:

“There are precious few trees in Poundbury, a development seen as HRH Prince Charles’ personal project, which is why I have asked for his help. This wilful destruction of our environment has not gone unnoticed by the local community. Many people are very upset about it. Ideally the trees ought to be replaced with mature trees. Failing that either Prince Charles, as a sign of good will to the people of Dorchester, or the contractors, ought to substantially compensate in some other way.”

Ms McGuinness continued:

“Like many local residents around the Bradford Peverell and Poundbury area I have great affection for the landscape, which once included the complete avenue of trees. So I am extremely distressed about this act of environmental violence.

“I have also written to the District Council to ensure that other trees are fully protected for future generations. Immediate action must be taken to make sure this never happens again and to protect any remaining trees in the avenue and on Poundbury.”