It could be 2016 before any changes are made to the Ministry of Education's school bus system in the Wakatipu.
In last week's school newsletter, St Joseph's School principal Trisch Inder said she and board of trustees chairwoman Gigi Hollyer met Ministry of Education representatives last Thursday to discuss the consultation process around changes to the provision of school buses.
''In fact, in drawing up the routes, the ministry have realised there is a need to realign all the routes due to the opening of Shotover Primary School.''
The school in the Shotover Country subdivision is due to open next year.
Mrs Inder said consultation about realigning routes was expected to take all of the first term.
''They [the ministry] have assured us services will continue until consultation around changes to the provision of school buses has been completed, which, in their words `is likely to take the better part of next year'.
''At this stage, we are not expecting any changes to take place in 2015,'' Mrs Inder said.
In a statement to the Otago Daily Times, Ministry of Education infrastructure service head Kim Shannon said the ministry had agreed to a request from Wakatipu principals to be given until the end of term two to provide joint feedback on the transport entitlement zone maps.
''We will not change the current proposed school bus routes in the Wakatipu Basin while local principals consider new proposed changes to the transport entitlement zone maps.''
Ms Shannon said while discussion with affected schools was under way, the ministry would continue to transport all children on the school bus routes.
''None of the changes to current routes that had previously been postponed will go ahead until new [maps] are in place.''
In August, the ministry informed representatives of Wakatipu schools of its review of the school bus services.
It proposed to drop 11 of 17 subsidised bus routes from next year, leaving children to rely on public transport.
A public outcry led to the ministry backing off from the plans.
