CHANGES to school bus runs have left parents concerned after learning some of their children will have close to an hour long walk to school each day.

From August school children in Glasgow will only receive a bus pass if they live more than 3 miles from their school.

The current distance required for a bus pass is 2.2 miles however Glasgow City Council recently voted in favour of upping the distance and issued letters to some parents informing them of the changes which will take effect when the new terms starts in August.

One of the schools badly affected by the change is St Monica's Milton Primary School in Milton. The primary 7 class has 32 pupils and 29 of them will not be eligible for a bus pass in August when they are due to start All Saints RC Secondary in Barmulloch.

The change means that some children will have an hour long walk to school each morning which has angered many of the parents.

Lee-Ann Gaughan, 36, is on the parent council and her 11 year-old son Daniel is due to start All Saints RC Secondary in August.

She said: "My son will have to walk for almost an hour to get to school each morning. What if it's raining? He could be complete drenched by the time he arrives at school.

"It's not safe for children of that age to walk through Springburn either, there are gang issues there and the kids will always take the shortcut through the park which isn't safe.

"Daniel and his friends had a knife pulled on them next to the Springburn McDonald's only a couple weeks ago so I'm really worried at the thought of him walking through the park each day.

Michelle Traynor, 38, is on the parent council for St Monica's Milton Primary where her son, Zack, is currently in primary 6.

She has helped organised a petition calling for the decision to be reversed. She said: "The parents are going off the nut. The children will have to cross gang territories and walk through Springburn Park.

"The park will be pitch black in the winter and you'll have kids walking across icy ponds in the dark. It's about the safety of the children more than anything else.

Unhappy at the decision, Michelle and the other parents on the parent council have set up a petition which has attracted more than 2000 signatures in less than three weeks.

Amanda Gough, 42, sits on the parent council and is upset that her 15 year-old daughter will not be eligible to get the bus service in August.

"I have girls and I'm really concerned. They'll be caught in the bad weather and will be walking through the park in the dark.

"I don't know how they're going to carry all their books for that long either. The weight of their school bag with all those books in it is unbelievable.

Local councillor Billy McAllister condemned the decision and warned that some children would miss out on education as a result. He said: "Bus fares can be expensive and many parents simply cannot afford bus fares everyday, especially if they have more than one child.

"These changes are due to budget cuts and the council's decision to save money by making cuts in education.

These cuts are hitting the people who need these services the most. Gang territorial issues are on the increase in Glasgow.

"I'm dealing with cases of kids not attending school because they are afraid of walking through the gang territories and their parents can't afford the bus fare for them.

"That's what these cuts come down to, children are going to miss out on education. They're cutting education budgets wherever they can. I think they can save money elsewhere, like the council's own hospitality budget for a start."

Councillor Stephen Curran, Executive Member for Education and Young People said: "The changes to free school transport eligibility was agreed at the Council's budget meeting in February and are still below the Scottish Government's statutory obligation.

"The saving will be used to retain the number of teachers in our schools.

"We are in the process of communicating with parents over these changes and new safe routes to school for each child currently eligible under the old distances, being recalculated and a decision made on each.

"Where there are no safe routes to school - regardless of the distance - free school transport will remain.

"Council officers are meeting with parents from St Monica's PS to discuss."