Council says Stainsacre to Caedmon College in Whitby is ‘safe’ walk for children, despite concerns
North Yorkshire Council has said that a school walking route from Stainsacre to Caedmon College Whitby is safe for children.
After parents raised concerns, the council conducted an assessment to evaluate whether a walking route from Stainsacre to Whitby was appropriately safe for children going to school.
The authority has concluded that the route via the Cinder Track is a safe walk to school for children when “accompanied as necessary” and that, as a result, it was not required to assist children living in Stainsacre with free travel.
Concerns were raised last November and the issue was brought up again at a council meeting in March.
The national guidance used by the council requires that the shortest route can be used in “reasonable safety accompanied as necessary” and that it is less than three miles.
It states: “A route would not fail to qualify as available because of dangers which would arise if the child was unaccompanied.”
The absence of street lighting on a route is also “not considered to be a factor”.
The route assessed by the council goes via the Cinder Track which is the former railway line between Scarborough and Whitby.
It runs between the two towns and passes through several villages including Stainsacre.
A report by the council concludes that “assistance with free travel to children living in Stainsacre will not be required to be provided”.
However, parents or guardians could appeal the council’s decision.
The report also notes that assistance would be provided to any child who could “not be reasonably expected to walk to school because of special educational needs, disability, or mobility problems” even if their parent accompanied them.
Councillors on the Scarborough and Whitby area constituency committee will meet to discuss the findings at 10am on Friday, June 7 at Scarborough Town Hall.