Parent petition calls for increased bus capacity

Parents have launched a petition calling on a council to use government money to alleviate transport problems after a free school bus was cut.

In December, Surrey County Council said it would axe free school buses running from Molesey to Esher High School, one month after it announced more than £12m funding from the government to "boost bus services".

Children were advised to "bring torches" and "suitable footwear" for the proposed walk to school via alleyways, open fields and unguarded viaduct sluice gates, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A council spokesperson said they were aware of the challenges that had been raised and were reviewing them carefully.

"We will be able to update further in due course," they added.

The LDRS previously reported it understood cutting the bus route from September would save about £180,000 per year.

Parents have started a petition calling on some of the government money to be put towards increasing the 814 bus between the two towns, which they said was already often overcrowded.

Father-of-three Andrew Dillon started the petition and claimed the council was being "so inflexible" over the issue.

He raised concerns that pupils would be left "stranded".

"Attendance and punctuality will plummet, kids will be late for lessons and classes disrupted," he added.

"It will be a serious blow to the health of the school."

Esher and Walton MP Monica Harding wrote to council leader Tim Oliver to request a meeting to discuss increasing capacity on the 814 route or other mitigating measures.

She wrote: "The withdrawal of assistance and the dirty, isolated, and unlit 'safe walking route' proffered as an alternative by the council risks impacting the safety of pupils, the ability to get to work of parents, and the strong attendance and pupil recruitment rates of Esher CofE High."

According to the MP, the council has offered to work with the school on a travel plan. But she warned that it should not be a substitute for greater capacity on the 814 route.

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