Horizons Regional Council has shot down a request from the Ministry of Education to fund new school bus route services from Ashhurst if proposed cuts to ministry routes are made.
The ministry is reviewing 25 bus routes in the city. Eligibility criteria for ministry buses was that students went to their closest state or state-integrated school, so many children catching buses were actually ineligible for transport assistance.
It was understood the ministry was meeting with high school principals on Wednesday to tell them the outcome of the review.
The ministry had asked Horizons for funding for additional public transport bus services for school students travelling between Ashhurst and Palmerston North.
