School bus removal 'risks children's lives', parents

Oxfordshire County Council has recommended that children travel from Cassington to Bartholomew Secondary School in Eynsham over the A40 and crossing the B449

Parents are appealing a council decision to stop providing a free school bus service, describing the proposed alternative walking route as unsafe and "risking children's lives".

Oxfordshire County Council has recommended a new pathway that would take children from Cassington to Bartholomew Secondary School in Eynsham over the A40 and crossing the B449 from 3 November.

Parents have until 12 August to lodge their appeals and a petition opposing the plans has now received more than 750 signatures.

The council said the review of the walking route "forms part our ongoing efforts to ensure that school travel support remains consistent with our active travel strategy".

Cassington mother Catherine Chapman describes the safety assessment for the new recommended pathway as "completely flawed"

The service was previously under threat in 2014, but reinstated on appeal after the proposed walking route along the A40 was considered unsafe.

The new proposals suggest crossing the A40 and then taking an alternative route along the quieter Cassington Road.

Pupils would then need to cross the B449 at a roundabout with no traffic lights or marked pedestrian crossings.

Cassington mother Catherine Chapman, whose two children attend Bartholomew School, describes the safety assessment for the new recommended pathway as "completely flawed".

"Whilst we have sympathy for overall budget pressures, this bus service removal risks children's lives," she said.

Her appeal includes concerns around the high speeds of vehicles using the A40 as well the favourable weather conditions during the time of the assessment, arguing a different set of results would be gathered around visibility if the survey was conducted in winter months.

The local authority currently spends £8.37m on mainstream travel assistance for more than 5,500 students across Oxfordshire.

It is estimated the decision to withdraw the current service could save the council up to £60,000.

The council said it had written to the families affected by the decision.

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said: "The review of this walking route forms part our ongoing efforts to ensure that school travel support remains consistent with our active travel strategy and statutory responsibilities, while also ensuring that any support provided can be financially justified.

"Three public bus routes operate between Cassington and Eynsham, the S1, S2 and H2 and could be used as an alternative option for families if walking, cycling or other travel options are not appropriate for parents."