Carr cuts bus passes

By Bronwyn Powell SYDNEY With the resumption of school for this year, several thousand students across NSW found themselves having to walk to and from school, or to fork out money each day for a bus fare, because of the state Labor government's cut to school transport. The distance from the school which students must reside before they are issued with a bus pass has been increased from 1.6 to two kilometres. This is a direct line as the crow flies, and by road or footpath the distance students must travel is usually much longer. Since a 2.5 kilometre return bus trip costs $1.20, or $240 a year, for many students there is no option but to walk, often alongside busy, dangerous roads, lugging heavy bags. In a letter to students, the government tried to con them into believing that the cuts are necessary. It said that the transport cuts will save money which would be spent on other key services such as health. The socialist youth organisation Resistance has urged students to organise protests against this cutback.