Over the past few days, I’ve written again to South Lanarkshire Council, Joani Reid MP, Màiri McAllan MSP, and our local councillors after receiving the Council’s latest reply from David Hinshelwood, Interim Head of Education.

We had specifically asked why the Blackwood–Lesmahagow route was deemed unsafe and retained free school transport, while the Sandford–Strathaven route, which shares the same hazards, was ruled safe.

The reply was extremely disappointing.

The Council continues to insist that our route is “not comparable,” despite clear similarities and recent serious accidents caused by poor visibility and speeding traffic.

Their response states that:

- The Sandford route “requires no road crossings,”

- Winter conditions will not be assessed,

- No further site visits will take place,

- And the matter is now considered “concluded.”

This is not fairness, and it’s not safety.

It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that children’s safety is being laid aside for cost cutting.

Yes, parents have a role to play, but the Council, funded by all of us through our taxes, shares that duty. They have a legal and moral responsibility to protect children travelling to school.

If this were a workplace, there would be lighting, barriers, and proper separation from traffic. But for school pupils, somehow, these basic standards are ignored.

We have now written again, calling for:

- Full transparency around both the Sandford and Lesmahagow assessments,

- A winter site walk with community representatives,

- And fairness and equality in how all South Lanarkshire pupils are treated.

The Council’s response does not meet the standard our community deserves, or the one our children’s safety requires.

🔗 Petition: https://www.change.org/SandfordSafety
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