Parents scared for children as school bus axed

Parents in Devon are filled with "shock and fear" at the prospect of their children walking to school amid council plans to cancel their bus service.

Devon County Council has unveiled a proposal to scrap a school bus from Westward Ho! to Bideford College after improvements were made to the alternative walking route.

However, parents said children would have to navigate poor lighting, narrow lanes and flood risks on the 50-minute walk if the bus is shelved in February 2025.

The council said a route review had deemed the walk to be safe and parents had the right to appeal this decision.

The council told parents children would be expected to wear a high vis and have a parent or carer accompanying them.

But Rick MacMahon, who has two children, aged 15 and 14, at Bideford College, said this would be challenging for working parents.

He said he was "shocked" to learn of plans to cancel the service in favour of a "safe" walking route: "It's frankly dangerous. I'm shocked scared and upset, as are all the parents."

Mr MacMahon cited personal safety concerns over children as young as 11 using the route: "It's not a safe place to be walking alone."

He said the thought of children walking narrow lanes and "dodging fast moving cars" was "terrifying", while a nearby ford posed a flooding risk.

Laura Gould, who has two children at Bideford College, said students would face a single track, brambles, mud, a lack of street lighting, mobile phone reception - and "isolation".

She said: "Having a teenage daughter it's frightening to think she'll be walking on her own for quite a long period, with nobody around."

Ms Gould said there had been a school bus to the college since she attended 22 years ago, adding: "I don't understand why now when there's more children needing the service that they've decided to stop it."

Dermot McGeough, councillor for the area, said the road was "not fit for purpose" to walk to school.

He said: "I'd love to know where the idea has come from.

"Being a Devon county councillor I find it absolutely shocking that Devon County Council would treat us with such disrespect.

"This bus should not be pulled away from our children."

Dr Claire Ankers, principal at Bideford College and Atlantic Academy, said ensuring children got to school safely was a "top priority".

She added: "I appreciate parents' concerns about the recent changes to the bus route from Westward Ho! to the school and do agree with them that it would be preferable if the bus continued to drop students directly at Bideford College.

"I understand that parents have started a petition asking Devon County Council to reconsider their position on this and I hope the council will be open to listening to the views of the local community on this important matter.”

A council spokesperson said: "Following a recent route review, we have determined there to now be [a] safe route for a secondary aged child to walk if accompanied.

"As a result, we have written to parents informing that their child’s transport provision will be withdrawn and advised them that they have the right to appeal."

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].