2120 sign petition as anger grows over North Yorkshire Council’s decision to reduce access to free school buses.

Over two thousand concerned residents have joined the call for North Yorkshire Council to reverse their decision to impose new restrictions on free home-to-school transport.

A petition, launched by a group of anxious Upper Dales parents and residents, was delivered to councillors at County Hall, Northallerton on Wednesday and on the same day, presented to the Department of Education in Westminster by North Yorkshire Liberal Democrat, Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough.

The petition was created following the council’s controversial decision in July to restrict free school buses to the nearest school only. That move removes choice for families living in villages and means many will be required to send their children to schools outside the county. In remote areas, such as the Dales, it forces children to travel via remote, high elevation roads into Cumbria and County Durham.

The changes will see a loss of pupil numbers from some schools across North Yorkshire. As a result, some smaller primary schools could close and larger schools such as Richmond School and Settle Academy may be forced to cut teacher numbers and reduce the breadth of courses on offer.

Swaledale based Mum of two, Claire Calvert said, “Concerns raised by parents and teachers and also by councillors from across North Yorkshire, have been totally ignored. The fact this decision has been rushed through means that many parents with children applying for school places for September 2025 are suddenly finding out now the impact this change will have on their families and I fear many are still in the dark. It’s a total mess.”

The decision to cut services was supported by all but two of the ruling Conservative councillors and backed by Labour. Those who voted it through, stated that their decision was driven by the need to reduce spending given the looming budget deficit. However, opposition councillors pointed out that any evidence of substantial savings was unconvincing.

Ian Dawson, one of the local residents driving the petition said, “While we understand the need to manage budgets, this decision has no guarantee of any financial savings. What is guaranteed is that it makes life harder for so many children and families. It pushes costs on to parents and schools, and forces more private cars onto our roads. We ask again, that North Yorkshire Council urgently rethink this damaging policy and request that the Government take immediate action to investigate the negative impact that this decision will have on the safety and education of children across rural North Yorkshire.”

Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough, Tom Gordon who is supporting the campaign and has raised the issue in Parliament said, “This decision to reduce free school transport services across North Yorkshire has been poorly thought through. It disadvantages children in rural communities and threatens to undermine some of the best schools in the county. That there is little evidence to suggest it will result in cost savings makes it even more absurd. We need to make sure all children in North Yorkshire get the support and education they need.”