Two pupils from the hamlets of Sarratiás and Castejón de Sobrarbe, both part of the municipality of Aínsa-Sobrarbe in the province of Huesca, no longer have a school bus at the start of the school year. According to the families and the town council, this is the first time in 34 years that the route has been discontinued. Until now, the transport had been provided by the Gobierno de Aragón .
The parents concerned say they only realised a few days before the start of classes that their route was missing from the official list of school routes. Judith Kiss, the mother of a pupil at IES Sobrarbe, says there was no advance notice and no alternative was offered. Her family now has to drive around 20 kilometres each day, costing them time and extra money. José Andrés Escapa, father of the second pupil affected, also criticises the communication. His family has to take their child first to Mediano seven kilometres from home, to use further connections from there.
Aínsa-Sobrarbe Town Council is calling on the Gobierno de Aragon for an explanation and a short-term solution. Mayor Enrique Pueyo points out that the municipality has taken targeted measures to keep families in small hamlets. The loss of a basic service that has existed for decades undermines these efforts. The school community also says the situation is exacerbating existing problems with staffing and infrastructure.
The parents’ and municipality’s complaints concern the organisation and timing of the decision. The families affected say they only learnt shortly before the start of term, from the published list of school routes, that their route would no longer be served. The regional government had not initially provided an official explanation. It is also unclear whether temporary or replacement arrangements will be made.
In economically disadvantaged areas such as the Comarca Sobrarbe, the school bus is often more than a convenient option: it ensures equal educational opportunities for children living outside the main towns. If the service is withdrawn, travel times and costs for families rise sharply; for municipalities such as Aínsa-Sobrarbe, this undermines efforts to attract people to rural hamlets. Whether and when the route to Sarratiás and Castejón de Sobrarbe will resume depends on the decision of the Gobierno de Aragón.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).