A wnaiff y Gweinidog gadarnhau a yw wedi ymgysylltu ag awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru sy'n ystyried toriadau sylweddol i'w gweithrediadau trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus oherwydd cyfyngiadau cyllidebol, i bwyso am sicrwydd y bydd opsiynau cludiant rhesymol yn parhau ar gael i bobl ifanc o gefndiroedd economaidd-gymdeithasol difreintiedig i fynychu'r ysgol?
Public services are facing an incredibly tough financial situation. Through our draft budget we are protecting the 3.1% rise in the Local Government settlement for 2024-25, which funds schools and within that departmental budget we have reshaped spending plans to focus on under-16 education. On 23 January, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language outlined in his oral statement on tackling the impact of poverty on educational attainment how we are working with our partners across education to meet this commitment.
It is the statutory duty of each local authority to provide school transport to eligible learners in accordance with the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure. However, local authorities have discretionary powers and can provide more generous provision. This is a decision for each local authority to make.
The Welsh Government meet regularly with local authority transport officials, and the WLGA to discuss transport operations – both commercial and non-commercial, including learner transport.
By the end of this financial year Welsh Government will have provided over £200m of funding to protect our bus network across Wales since the onset of the Covid pandemic. Local Authorities, Transport for Wales and operators have been working together on a regional basis to plan the network which best meets the needs of the travelling public. This includes local bus services that also transport statutory eligible learners, and we have asked regional network teams to give particular consideration to supporting these services.