Plea to get to school on time

by Bonnie Collings
"We just want a bus to get us to school on time." That's the plea of West Gippsland students who commute to the Lowanna College Sports Academy in Newborough for school each day.

While the large number of students could previously catch public transport and get to school with ease, a timetable change in February has left students and their families scrambling to get to school on time, amidst delays, last minute cancellations and services that don't turn up.

Additionally, the previously available school operated bus that collected students from Moe train station and transported them to the college in Newborough, is no longer available for all students.

Year 12 students Tannah Beechey and Jamie Chapman said the difficulty in getting to school had left them stressed about their attendance and performance in their final year.

Where they could once catch a public bus that connected with their train from Warragul, Tannah and Jamie said they now have to walk across Moe to catch a different bus that arrives after the school day has already begun, or walk the full distance to school from the station and fear for their safety.

"It doesn't get to (the bus stop) until 8:50, when home-group starts at 8:45, so we miss home-group every single morning. That affects our attendance every day," Tannah said.

"Attendance is really important, especially in year 12. We're worrying about that. Then we get to school, we get detentions for being late."

Jamie said she and Tannah previously walked to school from the Moe Railway Station but stopped out of fear for their safety following an incident last year where the pair were chased while walking.

"After that we figured out how to get onto the public buses, but now we're missing more of school by catching the public buses instead of walking to school," Jamie said.

Coming home from school, Jamie and Tannah said they were relying on friends to give them a lift to Moe station.

"We won't make the train in time if we catch the public bus," Jamie said.
"We rely on our friends to take us to the train station so we can get the train and make it back (to Warragul) in time. But if our friends can't take us, then we just have to miss or be late to our local sports."

Concerned parents Ijay Ellis and Michaela Chapman said the number of West Gippsland students attending the Lowanna College Sports Academy was growing, yet current transport infrastructure did not support the demand.

"The growth of Lowanna College's Sports Academy is attracting more students from surrounding areas, yet the transport infrastructure has not evolved to support this demand," Ms Ellis said.

"It's our local sporting school ... that's why the kids are attracted to the program," Ms Chapman added.

Ms Ellis said her son chose to attend sports academy for the "clear pathway to develop his sporting and future career opportunities."

"Unfortunately, the current transport system is already impacting those opportunities and placing unnecessary stress on families," she said.

When issues with public transport arise, like a cancelled train or a delayed service, Ms Ellis and Ms Chapman said parents were left scrambling to help the students find a solution.

"For most of us, we're already at work (when issues arise)," Ms Ellis said. "We just can't get them to school, so the kids often miss school,"

"You just become stressed, tag-teaming and (messaging other parents) to see which parent can do the drop off and which parent can pick up," Ms Chapman added.

Ms Chapman said catching an earlier train to Moe was not an appropriate option for many students due to before school sport training commitments.
"A lot of them can't get the 7:20am train because they're at basketball training which doesn't finish until 7:30am, they're cutting it fine to catch the 8am train anyway."

Ms Ellis and Ms Chapman said they and other parents had raised their concerns with the Department of Transport and Planning.

In response to questioning by The Gazette, a Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said they were "talking with the school and bus operator about how we can improve services for Lowanna College students."

Lowanna College was contacted for comment about why the school operated bus service was no longer available for all students, but did not respond before deadline.