West End LibDem councillors slam SNP Harris Academy bus axe threat
At the recent Dundee City Council budget meeting, the SNP group voted for a report within its budget proposals to axe all the dedicated school buses for Harris Academy, with effect from August 2027.
As the SNP currently has a majority on the council, this proposal (Report 64-2026: “Removal of dedicated school bus service for Harris Academy”) was passed as part of the SNP administration group’s budget proposals. It had the support of no other councillors.
West End councillor Michael Crichton said:
“We view this proposal highly detrimental to the Harris Academy school community. The greatest impact will be on pupils living to the north of our West End Ward in the Lochee Ward who live furthest from the school. However, it will also impact on pupils in the northern parts of the West End Ward – for example in the Pentland, Tullideph and Ancrum areas.”
The report’s “Equality, Diversity and Human Rights - Impacts & Implications” section accepts negative impacts – for example - “… some secondary age pupils may face longer/less convenient journeys, winter walking concerns and peak time crowding on public buses” and “… pupils with mobility needs, anxiety or additional support needs may find busier public services more challenging.”
However, under “Geographic Impacts & Implications” it claims the negative impacts are only in relation to Lochee Ward.
Councillor Crichton continued:
“This is total nonsense – there are clear negative impacts on pupils in parts of the West End Ward, particularly at the north end of the ward, furthest from the school.”
“These pupils, and the pupils living in Lochee Ward, will have no direct bus route to school and live a long distance from the school. Many parents and carers do not have access to a private vehicle to take their children to school or simply cannot do so because of their own work commitments so their children rely on public transport”.
“This will mean two buses to school for many pupils – in most cases changing bus in the City Centre – and a very early start indeed to get to school for the start of the school day at 8.45am, plus getting home much later after school, particularly concerning in the dark winter months.”
Bailie Fraser Macpherson (West End Ward) spoke at the budget meeting to call out the really poorly thought-out proposal to remove the Harris Academy school buses. He said that, as this would not happen until August 2027, there is time for a re-think by the current SNP majority group.
Fraser added:
“We have made clear that, should control of the council administration change in the May 2027 elections as the SNP loses its majority as now seems very possible, the Liberal Democrat councillors will use any influence we then have to overturn this decision and ensure the Harris Academy school buses are not axed.”