Community services and development manager Gavin Blinman said the Education Department had approved a trial of three year olds on school buses, but the trial had since stalled in the finance department.

“The trial has never got off the ground – it was approved, but we are still asking when it will go ahead,” he said. 

Mr Blinman said the trial would look at bus routes in the Hopetoun district.

“The pilot will address issues for parents of three year olds who need to catch a rural bus to kindergarten,” he said.

“We had a set of safety principles we needed to meet and after a long discussion with the department, these were addressed.

“We are now waiting for advice from the department as to when we can start the pilot.”

Mr Blinman said in the past, the shire had lost bus routes because of low numbers.

“In the future we could have more problems with dwindling primary school numbers,” he said.

Mayor Ray Kingston said Rupanyup Primary School lost a bus a few years ago, which led to a large chunk of the school’s catchment area going to Murtoa College instead.

“It worked out quicker for some children to go to Murtoa on the bus,” he said.

“This is a perfect example of why we need to keep our buses running, because this will happen again.”

Cr Kylie Zanker said the issue infuriated her.

“We are meant to have an all encompassing program for children to learn, but how can they do that if they don’t have a bus,” she said.

“In its early years framework, the Education Department talks about the need for children to feel like they belong, but that’s not possible if they can’t get to kindergarten.

“We need to push harder for this.”

Mr Blinman said the department had approved for one Hopetoun family to send their three year old to kindergarten on a school bus.

“So at least there is some common sense out there,” he said.

The department has been contacted for comment.