Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region and Transport Matters Party leader Rod Barton spoke with Education Minister James Merlino yesterday to address residents' concerns that school buses would cease next year.
Mr Barton said the concerns were raised by Strathbogie Shire councillors and staff at Euroa Secondary College.
“There are 80 kids travelling to Euroa each day and stopping the buses posed a huge threat to the viability of the school and the stability of education for kids in Nagambie and Avenel," he said.
“We recently met with Strathbogie Shire Mayor Amanda McClaren, councillors and members of the Euroa Secondary College council who said they were very worried that if they lost the bus, kids would no longer be able to attend the school.”
Mr Barton said without the bus service, children in Nagambie and Avenel would be forced to make other arrangements to travel via backroads through the Whroo Nature Conservation Reserve to reach the next closest school, Rushworth P-12 College, or head further south to Seymour.
He thanked the minister for acknowledging the concerns of the council and students, and for agreeing to keep the bus services running.
“These country kids want to stay at their country school in Euroa and it makes no sense to stop services that have been running successfully for many, many years,” Mr Barton said.
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