AI review sparks ‘whitewash’ row over North Yorkshire school transport

The council has launched an online feedback form as part of a post-implementation review (PIR) of the change which means free school transport is only provided to a child’s nearest school.

The council has stressed that the PIR is not a consultation, and the form should not be used to raise general concerns about home-to-school travel or discuss individual cases.

The council says all submissions will be anonymised and potentially reviewed using AI.

Peter Vetch, vice chair of Buckden Parish Council, has been critical of the policy and the impact it is having on his community.

He said: “Those of us who feared that this review would amount to little more than a whitewash had those concerns confirmed when we learned that public responses are just going to be processed by AI tools to ‘identify themes’.

“If the officers have so little interest in the impact of its policy on children, families, and communities that it cannot even commit to reading the submissions itself, that speaks volumes.

“North Yorkshire’s children deserve a process — and a council — willing to listen properly and understand the damage they are doing.”

One Swaledale parent, who asked not to be named, said they were one of many who warned about the impact of the policy when it was first proposed in 2024.

She said: “More than 2,000 people responded to the original consultation, yet those concerns weren’t reflected in the final policy.

“Now we’re being offered a one-way form, no responses, and no real dialogue.

“It just feels like a watered-down version of the feedback process that was disregarded the first time around. They ignored us then and have ever since — why should we believe they’ll listen now?”

The School Transport Action Group (STAG), which represents more than 1,000 families, said many residents remained deeply frustrated but should still take the opportunity to respond.

“We understand how furious people feel about this policy and about the way it’s being implemented. We also know that many have lost faith in the council as a result.

“It’s tempting to ask what’s the point, but we encourage everyone who feels strongly about the damage this policy is doing now — and will do in the future — to write in and let the council know.

“We can’t guarantee they will listen, and it’s true they have been tone deaf up to now, but we have to speak out and make sure they can’t pretend they were never told about they have caused.”

Residents can submit comments via the council’s feedback form at https://online1.snapsurveys.com/v2rusa

In response to the criticism, the council’s assistant chief executive for local engagement, Rachel Joyce, who is leading the PIR, said: “The post-implementation review has been scheduled and discussed since the policy was adopted at full council in July 2024.

“It will look in detail at how the revised policy has been introduced, whether it has met its objectives and if there is anything we can learn from the first full year of its operation.

“Feedback on this has been collated from a range of emails, meetings and other submissions.

“The purpose of the form is to ensure any points or information not previously shared can be submitted.

“This is not a consultation; it’s a review and will look at the full year of data from the point of implementation.

“It will be robust and transparent, with the full review published later this year.”