With Isle of Wight pupils due to return or start school next week, the concern over the changes to school buses continues to grow.
News OnTheWight has been putting questions to the Isle of Wight council in order to be able to provide the most accurate information for readers.
IWC: An excess of buses and seats
One fact that arose from our questions was that the number of school bus services being slashed is almost half of those previously provided.
The council said that the previous home-to-school transport contract expired in July and could not be extended.
“It had many more buses and seats than were needed for eligible children.”
Number of mainstream buses slashed by half
We asked how many excess buses and seats there were, the council replied,
“In the final year of the contract, we used 29 contracted mainstream services, plus eight special services.
“From September, we will be using 15 mainstream buses, eight special services plus other small vehicle arrangements that we will utilise when the demand for seats for eligible children does not require a larger vehicle.”
Details of new routes for secondary schools can be found on the council’s Website. Also included are details for home to school transport for Brighstone Primary.
Parents demand meeting
Many parents across the Island have said their child will have to start their school days much earlier and finish much later because the council have scrapped their school bus, expecting them to travel on several means of public transport.
Today parents have written to Southern Vectis and the Isle of Wight council demanding a meeting to thrash out the problems that have arisen from the change to the school transport contract.
