Proposals for five bus routes for Monklands school pupils

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Five new commercial bus routes are being planned to serve Monklands pupils impacted by North Lanarkshire’s transport eligibility cuts – but families say they are still waiting for full details and “concrete confirmation” just three weeks before the start of term.The services are set to run from Bargeddie to St Ambrose High, Carnbroe to St Andrew’s High, and from both areas to Coatbridge High, according to Frank McNally, the newly-elected Coatbridge & Bellshill MP who has been holding discussions with the proposed operator.Campaigners who have spent months fighting the council budget saving which means secondary pupils living between two and three miles from classes no longer qualify for transport have given a cautious welcome to the plans, but say they still have concerns over a lack of available detail and are continuing to highlight safety concerns over proposed walking routes across the area.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Mr McNally announced just before his election to Westminster earlier this month that he had been in discussions with bus operator McGill’s on establishing a service for Bargeddie pupils, but told Lanarkshire Live this week that an “existing local provider” is now planning to take on the routes after discussions between the firms.The MP said: “It is the preference of both