As I\u2019m sure you are aware, our children return to school this Thursday for the start of the new academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You may also have read on the council website and in the media about the changes to our region\u2019s bus network, which were introduced on Wednesday 7 August 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your children take the bus to and from school, please read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Children entitled to home-to-school transport<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Last week we sent an individualised letter to all parents of children entitled to home-to-school transport. This was to tell them which operator, which vehicle and which route their child had been allocated a place on. Home-to-school transport is for children who live more than three miles away from their school (or two miles if under 8 years old) and its provision is a statutory responsibility of all councils in Scotland. Parents of children entitled to home-to-school transport should please read and act on this letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Children not entitled to home-to-school transport who take a public\/service bus to school<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There have been changes to timetables on some subsidised and commercial routes, which are the responsibility of the bus operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will affect some bus passengers, adults and children alike. For instance, this may mean that next Thursday some children get to school earlier than usual or could, in some cases, arrive late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this in mind, SWestrans and the council have been working closely with local bus operators to encourage them to put on more service buses at peak school drop-off and pick-up times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The purpose of this email is to make you aware of these changes and if your child does get to and from school using a service\/public bus, please check the new timetables on the council website \u2013 or consult the bus operator \u2013 before your children get the bus to school on Thursday. In Scotland, all children are entitled to free bus travel through their Young Scot NEC card, which will work as normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be clear, these changes to service\/public do not affect those children entitled to home-to-school transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can check the timetables here: Get bus and ferry timetables | Dumfries and Galloway Council<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have any enquiries, please email SchoolTransport@dumgal.gov.uk.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Kind regards<\/p>\n\n\n\n Karen Brownlie
Interim Assistant Director Transport and Infrastructure<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"