Pupils in far-flung towns and villages of a Leatherhead school’s catchment area will be forced to look for new ways of getting to school after the sudden scrapping of a bus service.
The 676 bus service, which takes students from Walton on the Hill, Langley Vale, Ashtead and other areas to Therfield School (pictured above) in Dilston Road, Leatherhead, would be withdrawn at the end of the school year (Friday, July 22).
In a letter informing the school of the withdrawal, Val Sexton, senior transport officer at Surrey County Council, wrote that between five and eight pupils regularly used the 676 bus and suggested alternative travel options for the students affected.
A Surrey County Council spokesman said this made it financially unsustainable to continue tendering the service out to bus operator Edward Thomas & Son.
But Therfield School (pictured above) confirmed that they had not been consulted over the changes prior to being told that Edward Thomas & Son had reluctantly had to surrender the contract from the end of the school year.
Glenn Sturgess (pictured above), a parent of two boys at the school, believes parents should have been consulted and alternatives to scrapping the service should have been explored.
His son Fin, 15, is in year 10 at Therfield School and his son Dylan, 11, is due to start there in September, having attended the Greville Primary School in Ashtead.
Fin and his younger brother were due to take the 676 service from their family home in Ashtead to school, but on July 8, Mr Sturgess received a letter announcing the service would be withdrawn beyond the end of the school year (Friday, July 22).
Mr Sturgess, a copywriter from Overdale, Ashtead, said: “Dylan’s really looking forward to starting secondary school.
“At 11 he should be making decisions for himself, like getting the bus, but this has taken that away from him.”
Mr Sturgess, believes some parents will struggle financially if they have to pay for their children’s train fares.
He added: “The 676 is a vital service. It serves a route that is underserved by public transport.
“My wife and I were quite angry (when we got the email).
“I found it very vague. It doesn’t give any reasons why (they have pulled out of the contract).
“I think it’s audacious there was no consultation.
“Maybe they could have asked people whether they were aware of the service, or used a smaller bus to make it more cost effective. There are always alternatives.”
A county council spokesman said: “Unfortunately the usage of this service is reducing, making it unsustainable to run with supporting bus services across the county costing us more than £8 million per year, at a time when we are facing an unprecedented demand for services and a reduction in government funding.
“We are currently looking at the possibility of diverting existing services and all transport options will be our website in the very near future.”
Got a story? Get in touch at craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk
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