Catchment Removed
Free transport used to link primary schools directly to their traditional secondary catchment school. The council replaced this with a strict "nearest school" rule, ignoring established community connections.
STAND WITH US
North Yorkshire Council want residents to stay quiet about the school transport mess. Let’s disappoint them.
Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash
WHO WE ARE
A volunteer group of parents standing up for fair rural school transport across North Yorkshire.
The School Transport Action Group (STAG) is entirely apolitical and run on a voluntary basis by parents. We welcome all individuals, families, and community members who care about fair school access.
Apolitical & Open
We are independent of political parties. Anyone affected by or concerned about these changes is welcome.
Free Appeal Advice
We help parents navigate and challenge transport refusals with practical advice on council appeal stages.
Independent Scrutiny
We read the council documents, attend meetings, and check the figures to ensure decision-makers are held to account.
Watch this space: We are currently working hard behind the scenes to build out this website with comprehensive appeal guidance, route data, interactive tools, and useful resources for rural families.
THE POLICY: WHAT CHANGED?
How a shift in council policy created problems across rural North Yorkshire.
Bare Minimum Rules
The council pulled transport support back to the absolute legal minimum. What works for compact urban towns does not work across the vast rural distances of North Yorkshire.
Flawed Route Checks
Digital tools are used to measure routes down unlit 60mph rural roads without footpaths or verges, designating them as "available walking routes" to avoid providing free transport.
THE REAL-WORLD IMPACT
How this policy harms families and wastes council tax money.
Route Fracturing & Wasted Council Tax
The policy does not save money. Instead of running sensible, full buses, routes are fractured into separate fleets of minibuses and expensive private taxis. It wastes your council tax by doubling down on an inefficient, disorganised system.
Splitting Siblings
Older children often remain funded to the catchment secondary school, while younger siblings entering Year 7 are refused. Parents are left with the impossible task of doing two different school runs miles apart at the exact same time.
Splitting Villages
Children living on the same street or in the same village are now funded to go in opposite directions to different schools, fracturing rural friendships and community ties that have existed for generations.
TAKE ACTION
Here is how you can support the campaign and help reverse these changes.
1. Join the Mailing List
Sign up for updates on council meetings, appeal guidance, and campaign actions.
Join the Facebook Group
Connect with affected parents across the county, share route details, and swap appeal tips.
Open Facebook Group ↗Contact Decision-Makers
Write to your elected representatives and tell them how this policy affects your family.
We Are Always Looking for Help
We are entirely volunteer-led. If you have time or skills that could support the campaign—whether reviewing council data, writing, organising locally, or helping other parents through the appeals process—we would love to hear from you.
Email us directly: schooltransportag@gmail.com
#BRINGCATCHMENTBACK
School Transport Action Group • North Yorkshire