Effaith tlodi trafnidiaeth ar ein disgyblion

Mae Sioned Williams AS yn ysgrifennu am ei phrofiad diweddar yn Senedd Ysgol Cwm Brombil.

Sioned Williams’ article in the South Wales Evening Post – a photograph of the article set against a dark green background with Sioned Williams’ name, region and headshot at the bottom of the image. The wording in the article is replicated in the webpage.

Cyhoeddwyd yr erthygl hon yn y South Wales Evening Post ddydd Iau 16 Ionawr 2025 (yn Saesneg).

 

The impact of transport poverty on our pupils

I recently had the pleasure of standing in front of a Senedd of a very different nature: the school Senedd at Ysgol Cwm Brombil in Margam.  

Much like the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, the questions came thick and fast. The pupils were keen to hear about my role as their regional Member of Senedd, as well as my career leading up to becoming an MS. 

But during our discussions, they shared with me their concerns about transport poverty. They said that some of their fellow learners are finding it very difficult to afford the cost of transport to the school as they aren't eligible for free transport.

The current rules state that if you live within 3 miles of your secondary school, your local council doesn’t have to provide  free transport to school. This means children as young as 11 could be walking up to 6 miles a day (which could be up some steep and long hills in our area) if they can’t afford public transport, or if they don’t have access to a car.

If getting to school is a struggle, then it’s not hard to see why there is a link to being absent from school, especially for those pupils who come from poorer households.

Indeed, Welsh Government’s own statistics show that secondary school pupils eligible for free school meals – those most likely to be from the lowest income households, since free school meals are not universal in secondary schools – were absent for 20.1% of all school sessions in 2023/24.

To have pupils raise this matter, unprompted, in a school Senedd session was poignant, and stayed with me long after my visit. In fact, their question has led me to write to the Cabinet Secretary in Welsh Government with responsibility for Transport. 

I’ve explained that over seventy percent of pupils at Ysgol Cwm Brombil live in the most deprived 40 percent of areas in Wales. These pupils deserve and need support to be able to access their education and to ease financial pressures on their families, so they can be given the best chance at life.

I’ve asked him when the members of Ysgol Cwm Brombil's Senedd will see action from the Government on their concerns, which mirror the concerns of thousands of other learners across Wales who are currently either having to walk long distances, along both busy and lonely roads, in bad weather or are having to find the money to access expensive transport.

I ended my session at Ysgol Cwm Brombil by talking about the ways in which the pupils can continue to take action on the political issues that impact them, and I’m looking forward to welcoming them to ‘my’ Senedd in Cardiff Bay during this year.

Mae hyn yn dechrau gyda chi

Ganddyn nhw mae'r arian, ond gennym ni mae'r bobl. Os yw pawb sy'n ymweld â'r wefan hon yn ymuno â'n symudiad yna does dim na allwn ei gyflawni.

Ymgyrchoedd