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09
Sept 2021
Rossett school bus 'chaos' and 'shambles' due to overcrowding
Harrogate parents have spoken of “chaos” and "shambles" on a school bus to Rossett School following changes to the service for the new term.
Students on the S3 bus have been subject to overcrowding and reportedly told to leave the bus for an alternative service.
North Yorkshire County Council, which contracts school buses to private bus companies, announced last week that Harrogate Bus Company‘s 780H, 781H, 782H, 783H, 784H services had been cancelled.
The old routes began in the Jennyfields, Bilton and Woodlands areas of Harrogate. Children were instead advised to take the 6, 52, S3, 8A, 620H and 620H services.
However, parents have told the Stray Ferret that since the changes the number S3 service through Jennyfields has been overcrowded and chaotic.
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Ann Lambert, a grandparent of a child who attends Rossett, described the service as chaotic and raised concern that children on free bus passes were affected.
She said:
'Shambles this morning'
Harrogate parent Chris Wingate:
In response to the concerns over the S3 service, Michael Leah, assistant director for travel and the environment at North Yorkshire County Council, said:
The Stray Ferret has approached Transdev, which owns the Harrogate Bus Company, for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Council apologises over short notice
Concerns about overcrowding come after parents in Harrogate raised concerns on social media about the lack of notice about the change in service.
Some parents described the changes as confusing and said they should have been announced sooner.
An email seen by the Stray Ferret from the council’s Passenger Transport Department said the authority had experienced delays in the renewal of the contract for the service due to covid and additional work in the procurement process.
It said this left little time to publicise the changes. However, the council added that it had told schools to expect changes to services in September.
The authority said:
Has your child been affected by the changes to the school bus service? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
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