There are calls to reinstate a school train service to help pupils from the Esk Valley get to Whitby School.
A new transport policy means that some pupils in Castleton and Danby no longer qualify for free bus transport to Whitby school as it isn't their nearest option.
Whitby Councillor Clive Pearson thinks the train could be part of the solution.
North Yorkshire Council has moved from its previous ‘catchment’ system to now only providing free transport to a child’s nearest school. For many students in Castleton and Danby this means the free transport to Whitby school would not be available and in some cases would only be provided to schools which are outside of North Yorkshire.
The council says it needs to make the change to help address a £48m budget shortfall. But critics say the change is causing unnecessary disruption, uncertainty and inconvenience to hundreds of families — and have questioned if the new policy will actually save the authority any money.
Whitby Councillor Phil Trumper says the school is taking action to ensure pupils from the Esk Valley can continue to attend the school.
Scarborough and Whitby MP, Alison Hume, says she has met with some of the families affected by the change to the council's transport policy, she thinks it's important that the Esk Valley villages can maintain their connection with Whitby School.
An Esk Valley school governor has voiced concerns about the impact of school transport policy changes on the ability of local children to access Whitby secondary school.
Joanne Kevan is a governor at Castleton Primary School she says the councils new policy has made it "impossible to predict which secondary schools local children will now attend".
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