Parents raise concerns over 90-minute school transport journeys

A group of parents has raised concerns over school transport arrangements, claiming their children are spending more than 90 minutes travelling each way.

Some children are reportedly being picked up as early as 5:45am for the journey to school, which previously took around 45 minutes.

The group consists of 14 parents from seven families living in northern Malta, whose children attend St Francis School in Cospicua.

They claim that changes to the route allocation have doubled journey times since the previous school year, despite repeated requests for a review by the education authorities.

At the centre of the dispute is the allocation of a pupil from St Paul's Bay to a transport route serving children from Mellieħa and Imġarr. However, the issue points to a national problem which is only getting louder.

Parents call for alternative route allocation

Parents argue that the current arrangement forces the school van to travel between areas in different directions before continuing south towards Cospicua, unnecessarily extending the journey for the children involved.

The families are calling on the education authorities to consider transferring the St Paul's Bay pupil to an existing Mosta–Burmarrad route, which they believe would be more geographically suitable.

According to the parents, the school itself confirmed the existence of the alternative route and has also raised concerns with the relevant authorities.

On 28 September, one parent contacted Coop Services requesting a review of the morning route allocation, with another parent subsequently expressing support for the request.

The families stressed that they were not asking for an additional transport service or for the existing route to be split, but simply for a review of how pupils are allocated to routes already in operation.

However, after raising the matter with the Education Ministry on 1 October, the parents were informed that no alternative arrangement was available.

According to the group, Head of School Transport Vincent Cassar explained that the route was financially viable, carried eight students and started early because of the school's opening hours.

He also reportedly maintained that the route could not be divided further.

The parents reiterated that they had never requested a division of the route, but simply wanted the authorities to consider whether the St Paul's Bay pupil could be accommodated on the existing Mosta–Burmarrad service.

They claim they were subsequently told that there was no other solution.

Parents told they should not have chosen a school so far away

The group also expressed disappointment over remarks allegedly made by Cassar during discussions about the transport arrangements.

According to the parents, Cassar told them that they should not have chosen a school so far away from their homes.

The families described the response as unfair, explaining that their children had secured places at St Francis School through the ballot process after other applicants declined their offers.

They said they were happy with the school and that their children had settled in well, made friends and developed good relationships with their teachers.

"We do not believe parents should be told to choose another school when they are raising a concern about how the transport route has been organised," the parents said.

Long journeys affecting family routines

Apart from the early morning pick-ups, the families say lengthy afternoon journeys are also disrupting their children's daily routines and extracurricular activities.

One parent reported that her child arrived home at 2:42pm despite school finishing at 1pm, meaning he had spent an hour and 42 minutes travelling home.

She explained that she now has to drive to St Paul's Bay to collect her son herself so that he can attend extracurricular activities on time.

The arrangement, she said, defeats part of the purpose of providing free school transport, as parents are being forced to make additional car journeys rather than relying on the service.

The group also raised concerns about the impact of such early starts and lengthy journeys on their children's wellbeing, particularly given the amount of time they spend travelling each day.

They fear the situation could worsen next year if more children are allocated to the route, while anticipated road closures in Xemxija and St Paul's Bay could cause further delays.

Questions over effectiveness of free school transport

The concerns come as the government continues to promote free school transport as a means of reducing traffic congestion and easing the financial burden on families.

On 2 October, TVM reported that a study estimated school transport removes approximately 19,469 vehicles from Malta's roads every day, while also helping families save money on fuel.

However, the parents argue that these benefits are undermined when lengthy journeys force families to make alternative transport arrangements.

The families are now urging the authorities to reconsider the route allocation, insisting that children's wellbeing and the practicality of their daily commute should be central to decisions concerning school transport.