A Welsh diocese is today seeking to overturn a controversial new transport policy that would see children deprived of free travel to Catholic schools.
Swansea Council’s new policy no longer provides free places on buses for children travelling to voluntary-aided faith schools, but does provide free transport for all children travelling to Welsh-language schools. It is due to come into effect in September.
A test case, brought by the diocese and Bishop Vaughan Catholic Comprehensive School, will be heard by a high court judge sitting in Swansea today.
The Diocese of Menevia said that Swansea Council’s new school transport policy amounted to “double discrimination” because it would impact both Catholic children and Black and Minority Ethnic children, who make up a quarter of those attending Swansea’s Catholic and Church of Wales schools.
The Bishop of Menevia, Tom Burns, said today: “We are standing up for children who are being discriminated against. Church and faith schools stand up especially for the poor and the deprived. They should be retained as beacons of excellence in our education world, instead of having their future threatened by Swansea’s un-fare [sic] measures.”
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