Families in Wales encouraged to consider ‘back to school’ transport options

With the new school term about to start, families across Wales are being encouraged to consider the different transport options available for pupils returning to the classrooms from next week.

Pupils and students intending to travel to and from schools or colleges on scheduled public transport services are also being encouraged to think of others and act responsibly when travelling. Meanwhile, other public transport users are being urged to try to avoid non-essential journeys around the start and end of the school day in order to ensure sufficient capacity for the young travellers.

Pupils in Wales will begin returning at the start of the new term on Tuesday 2nd September, with a two-week period for schools to finalise plans. The full return of pupils will come on Monday 14th September.

Over the summer months Welsh Government has been supporting the development of ‘back to school’ transport plans with local authorities, who are responsible for assessing the needs of learners and providing home to school transport for eligible pupils.

This week operational guidance for schools and FE colleges was amended to require local authorities to undertake risk assessments of their estates to determine if face coverings should be recommended for their staff and young people in communal locations, which include dedicated school and college transport.

Any young person aged over 11 travelling on a scheduled public transport was already expected to wear a face covering in line with Regulations.

With public transport providers facing massive revenue losses since the Covid lockdown, the Welsh Government has provided significant funding over recent months to help keep companies afloat.

On 11th August £10m was committed to help the bus industry get more passengers to school, college and work, building on prior funding packages for both bus and rail. On the same day it also published updated operational guidance for schools, including guidance on transportation.

This funding has enabled local authorities to bolster existing scheduled services with additional duplicate buses to carry pupils and students where necessary and appropriate.

Earlier this week Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport Lee Waters supported a Sustrans Cymru-led call for parents to leave their cars at home when accompanying their children to school and encourage them to travel in greener, healthier ways.

This follows further Welsh Government investment to help people walk and cycle to school instead. In June, a £15.4m funding package was announced for ‘Covid-proof’ travel which would make a difference in the short-term, £2m of which was specifically designated for schemes around schools.

Lee Waters, Deputy Transport Minister, said:

“There is no one size fits all approach to school transport and families will have a variety of circumstances to consider.

“In many areas of Wales it may be most appropriate to walk or cycle to school. This has benefits for air quality and public health, and embeds active travel into our culture in the long-term.

“Where this is not currently possible pupils will also make use of school transport and other forms of transport. We have made significant investment in public transport to help keep companies running, but there can be no escaping the inevitable disruption coronavirus has caused.

“We’ve worked closely with local authorities, the Confederation of Passenger Transport and bus operators to ensure as much transport as possible is running.

“We head into the new term in unfamiliar circumstances and it’s therefore vital for families to consider the best options available to them.”

Nigel Winter, Managing Director, Stagecoach in South Wales said:

“Working with Welsh Government and the Local Authorities in South East Wales, Stagecoach will be providing a further 50 extra dedicated buses for schools and colleges providing additional passenger capacity for pupils and students from September. In addition, Stagecoach will be returning up to a further 70 buses to general service from 7th September providing greater passenger capacity across the public local bus network.

“A range of measures have been put in place to help people feel safe and confident in using Stagecoach services. Passengers are encouraged to buy their tickets online in advance on the Stagecoach website and mobile tickets can be purchased on the Stagecoach App. Contactless payments are available on board as well as an exact fare policy to reduce money handling.”

Information about the £15.4m funding can be found here: https://gov.wales/15-million-covid-proof-travel

The updated operational guidance for schools can be found here: https://gov.wales/operational-guidance-schools-and-settings-autumn-term-covid-19

Information about the extra £10m for the bus industry can be found here: https://gov.wales/extra-10m-buses-school-transport-guidance-published

The legal requirement for people over 11 to wear face coverings on public transport does not apply on school transport.

Teuluoedd yng Nghymru yn cael eu hannog i ystyried opsiynau cludiant ‘yn ôl i’r ysgol

Gyda’r tymor ysgol newydd ar fin dechrau, mae teuluoedd ledled Cymru yn cael eu hannog i ystyried y gwahanol opsiynau cludiant sydd ar gael ar gyfer disgyblion sy’n dychwelyd i’r ysgol o’r wythnos nesaf.

Mae disgyblion a myfyrwyr sy’n bwriadu teithio i’r ysgol neu golegau ac yn ôl ar wasanaethau cludiant cyhoeddus rheolaidd hefyd yn cael eu hannog i feddwl am eraill ac i ymddwyn yn gyfrifol wrth deithio. Yn y cyfamser, mae defnyddwyr eraill trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn cael eu hannog i geisio osgoi teithiau nad ydynt yn hanfodol oddeutu dechrau a diwedd y diwrnod ysgol er mwyn sicrhau bod digon o gapasiti ar gyfer y teithwyr ifanc.

Bydd disgyblion yng Nghymru yn dechrau dychwelyd ar gyfer dechrau y tymor newydd ddydd Mawrth 2 Medi, gyda cyfnod o bythefnos i ysgolion gwblhau eu cynlluniau. Bydd pob disgybl yn dychwelyd ddydd Llun 14 Medi.

Dros fisoedd yr haf bu Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi datblygiad cynlluniau cludiant ‘yn ôl i’r ysgol’ gydag awdurdodau lleol, sy’n gyfrifol am asesu anghenion dysgwyr a darparu cludiant o’r cartref i’r ysgol ar gyfer disgyblion cymwys.

Yr wythnos hon cafodd y canllawiau gweithredol ar gyfer ysgolion a cholegau AB eu diwygio i’w wneud yn ofynnol i awdurdodau lleol gynnal asesiadau risg o’u hystadau i benderfynu a ddylid argymell gorchuddion wyneb ar gyfer eu staff a’r bobl ifanc mewn lleoliadau cymunol, sy’n cynnwys cludiant benodol i’r ysgol a’r coleg.

Roedd disgwyl i unrhyw berson ifanc dros 11 sy’n teithio ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus reolaidd wisgo gorchudd wyneb eisoes yn unol â Rheoliadau.

Gyda thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn wynebu colledion refeniw enfawr ers y cyfyngiadau symud oherwydd Covid, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi darparu cyllid sylweddol dros y misoedd diwethaf i helpu cwmnïau i oroesi.

Ar 11eg Awst, cafodd £10 miliwn ei ymrwymo i helpu’r diwydiant bysiau gael mwy o deithwyr i’r ysgol, y coleg a’r gwaith, gan adeiladu ar becynnau cyllido blaenorol ar gyfer bysiau a threnau. Ar yr un diwrnod, cyhoeddodd hefyd ganllawiau gweithredol ar gyfer ysgolion, gan gynnwys canllawiau ar gludiant.

Mae’r cyllid hwn wedi galluogi awdurdodau lleol i ychwanegu at y gwasanaethau rheolaidd oedd yn bodoli eisoes gyda bysiau ychwanegol i gludo disgyblion a myfyrwyr pan fo angen a phan fo hynny yn briodol.

Yn gynharach eleni cefnogodd Lee Waters, Dirprwy Weinidog yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth alwad o dan arweiniad Sustrans Cymru i rieni adael eu ceir gartref wrth fynd â’u plant i’r ysgol, a’u hannog i deithio mewn ffyrdd gwyrddach, iachach.

Mae hyn yn dilyn buddsoddiad ychwanegol gan Lywodraeth Cymru i helpu pobl yn hytrach i gerdded a beicio i’r ysgol. Ym mis Mehefin, cyhoeddwyd pecyn cyllido gwerth £15.4 miliwn ar gyfer teithio ‘heb Covid’ a fyddai’n gwneud gwahaniaeth yn y tymor byr, £2 filiwn ohono’n benodol ar gyfer cynlluniau ger ysgolion.

Meddai Lee Waters, y Dirprwy Weinidog Trafnidiaeth:

“Nid oes dull addas i bawb o ran cludiant i’r ysgol, a bydd gan deuluoedd amrywiol amgylchiadau i’w hystyried.

“Mewn nifer o ardaloedd o Gymru, gallai fod yn fwy priodol i gerdded neu feicio i’r ysgol. Mae manteision i hyn o ran ansawdd yr aer a iechyd y cyhoedd, ac mae’n cynnwys teithio llesol yn ein diwylliant yn yr hirdymor.

“Ble nad yw hyn yn bosibl ar hyn o bryd, bydd disgyblion yn defnyddio cludiant i’r ysgol a dulliau eraill o drafnidiaeth. Rydym wedi gwneud buddsoddiad sylweddol mewn trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus i helpu i gynnal cwmnïau, ond ni allwn ddianc rhag y ffaith bod y coronafeirws wedi achosi tarfu sylweddol.

“Rydyn ni wedi cydweithio’n agos gydag awdurdodau lleol, Conffederasiwn Trafnidiaeth Teithwyr a chwmnïau bysiau i sicrhau bod cymaint o drafnidiaeth â phosibl yn rhedeg.

“Rydyn ni’n dechrau tymor newydd mewn amgylchiadau dieithr ac felly mae’n hanfodol bod teuluoedd yn ystyried yr opsiynau gorau sydd ar gael iddyn nhw.”

Dywedodd Nigel Winter, Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr, Stagecoach yn ne Cymru:

“Gan weithio gyda Llywodraeth Cymru a’r Awdurdodau Lleol yn ne ddwyrain Cymru, bydd Stagecoach yn darparu 50 o fysiau pwrpasol ychwanegol ar gyfer ysgolion a cholegau gan ddarparu capasiti ychwanegol i ddisgyblion a myfyrwyr o fis Medi. Yn ogystal â hyn, bydd Stagecoach yn dychwelyd hyd at 70 o fysiau eraill i wasanaeth cyffredinol o 7 Medi ymlaen gan ddarparu mwy o gapasiti i deithwyr ar draws y rhwydwaith bysiau lleol.

“Mae ystod o fesurau wedi’u rhoi ar waith i helpu pobl i deimlo’n ddiogel a hyderus wrth ddefnyddio gwasanaethau Stagecoach. Anogir teithwyr i brynu eu tocynnau ar-lein ymlaen llaw ar wefan Stagecoach a gellir prynu tocynnau symudol ar App Stagecoach. Mae taliadau di-gyswllt ar gael ar y cerbydau yn ogystal â pholisi prisiau union er mwyn lleihau’r angen i ddelio gydag arian parod.”