CONCERNS about dangerous routes that children are having to walk to school have led to a pledge for a review of the policy about how decisions are made on which routes are safe.

There have been well publicised concerns raised about children in Delabole who are having to walk to school in Camelford as they live less than three miles away.

Decisions on which routes are considered safe are dictated by national policy but councillors said that policy was not suitable for rural areas where routes can be unlit and use narrow roads and footpaths running through fields.

A motion was proposed at this week's full council meeting by Lib Dem councillor Dominic Fairman for a review of the council’s current policy.

It was strongly backed by councillors with many highlighting concerns about walks which children and young people in their areas were having to undertake each day to get to school and college.

There was a sombre moment when Tintagel councillor Barry Jordan addressed the chamber.

He told councillors: “Eleven years ago on Saturday this week we lost our young son. The pain is still there even now. I don’t want to see parents have to suffer the pain that we have suffered. It is not worth it.”

Lib Dem councillor Joyce Duffin said: “Central government has a policy that works really well in urban areas but doesn’t work at all in rural areas. A few years ago Cornwall Council realised that and put extra funding into rural areas for buses.

“It is only because of cuts from central government that the council has been forced to withdraw that support.”

Sally Hawken, Cabinet member for children, said school transport was an “emotive issue” and she understood the problems with juggling getting children to school with getting to work.

She admitted there were some inconsistencies in the system at the moment and said an internal review had been looking at these, with an informal panel of councillors looking at a number of ways to address the issues.

A report from the review is set to go before the children and families overview and scrutiny committee in January and Cllr Hawken said any recommendations from that would be taken seriously.

She said school transport was an important issue for her and Geoff Brown, Cabinet member for transport.

Giving her support for the motion she said: “Children’s safety is important for the council. A review of policy will be considered.”