South Wight families were shocked this week to discover that all their school buses to Newport’s high schools, except 1, have been scrapped by the Isle of Wight Council for the start of the new term – leaving many desperate pupils tackling overcrowded public buses to get back into the classroom.
Students who travel from Ventnor, Wroxall, Whitwell, Chale and Niton and surrounding villages found out that the numbers 316, 318, 405 and 406 school buses to Medina College, Christ the King and Carisbrooke College now no longer exist.
Pupils have reported that often these buses would be full, and sometimes standing room only. Currently, only 2 alternative scheduled buses leave Ventnor at 07:35 (Route 3) and Whitwell at 07:54 (Route 6) – resulting in dozens of students having to cram into public buses at a time of pandemic when social distancing is crucial to keep people safe.
In recent weeks, Southern Vectis have hinted that they will provide their ‘own dedicated school buses’, but time is running out and services are yet to be published. Southern Vectis tweeted today that they hope to post further information on their website by the end of the day.
Liz Cooke from St Lawrence has said:
“So many families rely on these 4 school buses. We already had to drive to Whitwell to drop off our son, and with the complete scrapping of the school bus service many families will have no choice but to use their cars – if they are lucky enough to have that option.
“There will be tired young people, either being late to school or having to hang around Newport for time, adding hours to their school days. This will hugely impact their ability to learn.
“We need to support our young people, keep cars off the roads and cut pollution. Please Southern Vectis, can you ensure that extra school buses will be available for the South Wight to get all our children to school on time.”
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Campaigners believe that many families still have no idea that the bus services have been cancelled. Families affected by the withdrawal of the South Wight school buses are urged to get in touch with other parents via Facebook by requesting to join the group “316/318/405/406 – South Wight Bus Cancellations” – https://www.facebook.com/groups/3227946247243307/.
Why ? No reason seems to have been given. (Although ‘reason’ seems to be a poor choice of word)
Why? The council have to re-direct funds to the floating bridge disaster fund, and St Marys magic roundabout farce fund. Thats why.
You could always use some of that child allowance, and some of the child tax credit to pay for a minibus taxi between you.
Or is it all spent on other necessities like larger Tvs, nails painted, latest phone, newest car.
Some have the attitude as you bred such, you pay for it, don’t expect others to pay for what they are already subsidising via the above. Heaven forbid you might have to use your own cars to take them, or even worse they may have to walk or cycle to the nearest bus stop.
What sort of answer is this miss primer? OMG… take off 4 buses, potentially puts 200 plus cars on the road to Newport and back twice a day.. have you actually read what you have written thinking about the implications of 4 bus route cuts… please re think
Ok, use some of your tax credits and child allowance to pay privately for 4 ‘full’ buses then?
Can’t afford too? Not your responsibility? Hard to organise and to obtain the payment from all users?
Ditto, ditto, and ditto for the council tax payers who are paying for your choice of having children and living in more remote locations.
Whilst others live in towns, knowing it is more practical when having a family they then pay the price by having to tolerate noise, pollution, anti social behaviour.
Those in more remote locations clearly want the best of both worlds, eg to live in a more genteel location yet STILL have their choice of having children paid for by others by using ‘others’ council tax aided public transport.
As more people fill the UK, almost all arriving with nothing, the easy times of cash to fund such luxuries are being diverted to house, educate, treat and keep such people now.
Still, as we see, they are clearly grateful, so ought to be some small comfort as you see their children education needs and cost spiral, needing one to one help if English is not their spoken language. Along with special religious events catered for, as is many of their foods, all costing the educational budget greatly.
‘Cheap labour’, is working out very expensive. And it won’t be those who gain from such who will pay.
the chickens are coming home to roost