Parents 'extremely stressed' over school bus cuts

Parents of children who attend a rural school say the scrapping of a bus route has left them "extremely stressed" as they look for last minute solutions before term starts.

Bus routes to Winterbourne Academy in Bristol were cut in the last year, including the axing of the 458 service operated by Stagecoach.

South Gloucestershire Council is offering concessionary passes priced at £200 a term for the only remaining services - the 427 and 459- but there are not enough seats for every student.

The Olympus Academy Trust which runs the school, said it would "take time" for the necessary funding to be back in place due to council changes.

Winterbourne Academy is a large rural school, with many of the students living several miles away in Frenchay, Downend, Emerson’s Green and Lyde Green.  

Libby Rodgers, who has two children at the school, said many families had been left "extremely stressed" over commuting arrangements.

With the autumn school term scheduled to start on 5 September, Ms Rodgers says parents were being forced to consider making "significant changes" to their work schedules to ensure their children get safely to and from school.

"There's no safe walking route," said Ms Rodgers.

"Some families feel able to let their children cycle but that's not suitable for all children, so we've got a really difficult situation here."

The school itself stepped in last year to fund a replacement bus service, but said the £30,000 cost was unsustainable.

Dave Baker, CEO of the Olympus Academy Trust, said a new administration in South Gloucestershire meant it would "take time for funding to be back in place".

"We're not going to be able to put an additional service in place by the beginning of term," Mr Baker said.

"We've invited parents to come in in the second week when we'll have a better idea of how things are settling down."

The remaining 427 and 459 bus routes are reserved for Winterbourne Academy students who are entitled to school transport under South Gloucestershire Council's school travel assistance policy.

A council spokesperson said where there were spare seats, the local authority would be offering concessionary passes for children who were not currently eligible, which must be applied for before 1 September.

However, in a survey completed by parents at the school, it was revealed there were significantly fewer seats available than there are students, with only 164 places on offer.

Families also would not find out whether they had received the passes until 2 September, just three days before term starts.

Follow BBC Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.