FAMILIES who relied on an axed bus service to a secondary school say some children will now struggle to get to lessons.
The 458 from Downend to Winterbourne Academy was withdrawn as a commercial service last year and the school, which ran a replacement service itself last year, says it can’t afford to do so again from September.
Parents whose children used the bus have been putting pressure on South Gloucestershire Council and WECA to provide a solution, but so far neither authority has answered their call.
The council has responsibility for funding buses where children are entitled to free transport, while WECA has overall responsibility for the region’s transport system.
Parent Libby Rogers said: “WECA and South Glos council have now confirmed that there will be no replacement for 458 – each pointing to each other in terms of who is responsible for funding this – so we are stranded and with no public transport, having to find other ways to get our children to school.
“Families are having to change working hours and try and sort lift shares but there are going to be children who will struggle to get to school on time or at all.
“Lots of parents have contacted the council department highlighting that there is no safe walking route and we have been advised that the route has not been reviewed for 10 years, and cannot be until the new school term.
“We are meeting as a group of parents again in early September to coordinate further action. We are stranded but still fighting!”
Libby said the 458 was not the only service hit by uncertainty.
An operator for the 459 from Lyde Green to Winterbourne Academy, via Emersons Green and Bromley Heath, had yet to be announced as the Voice went to print, as had details of a “lottery” for deciding which children not entitled to free transport would be allowed to use the oversubscribed service, in return for a £200-a-term upfront payment.
South Gloucestershire Council’s Conservative group leader Sam Bromiley has called on the authority’s Labour and Lib Dem leadership to find “a long-term funding solution” for the 458 with Metro Mayor Dan Norris.
• First Bus is introducing a new SB4 service to link Mangotsfield to St Brendan’s Sixth Form College.
For more details visit tinyurl.com/yx6tssu7.