The last bus journey - how anxious parents and pupils have been let down by Knaresborough school run system

The plight of as many as 40 pupils from King James's School in Knaresborough, who travel from Wetherby every day, shines a light on what happens when the complexities of the bus system are combined with an economic downturn.

The X80 bus service had been provided by Connexions Buses for four years until the local company served a cessation notice.

All sides involved agree this is a far from straightforward situation.

But the end result is that, today, Friday, the youngsters rode from Wetherby to Knaresborough by bus for potentially the last time.

Lee Bennett, the Wetherby parent of two boys, who’s been at the vanguard of trying to get the matter addressed, said the consequences of children not being able to take the bus were significant.

"There have been early morning bus services running to Knaresborough carrying pupils forever,” said Mr Bennett.

"The withdrawal of the service creates a major headache for parents who also have children in local primary schools at Wetherby, never mind work arrangements.

"The net effect is that potentially 40 families will be driving to and from school each day approximately a staggering 112,000 collective miles a year as a group."

Craig Temple, the boss of Connexions buses, which are operated by Harrogate Coach Travel, says he is full of sympathy for parents.

Before Covid and the cost of living crisis, the company had been happy to contribute more than their fare share in support of the service for a number of years.

Mr Temple, who is Connexions managing director, said the worsening economic climate to run buses since lockdown ended had made the decision to cut the Wetherby to King James's School service – which he said was a very reluctant one – a sad necessity.

"We gave parents notice of our intention to end the service in the middle of November,” said Mr Temple.

"Even though the route is actually outside our catchment area as a bus operator, we stepped in to support the entire service three or four years ago.

"The contract for the West Yorkshire part of the route was given to York Pullman by North Yorkshire County Council.

"On top of that, passenger numbers have not recovered properly since lockdown ended.

"Our Connexions pass holders just don't use the bus as much now.

"With a reduction and, next year, the ending of the Government's financial support for bus companies during Covid, we have to look at cuts in our services to get through this.

"We've spoken to the school and to York Pullman to see if we can find an alternative.

"We don't like letting people down. We were reluctant to do this.

"For us, it's galling to have built something up and then have to take it down."

Angry parents have been taking their case to bus companies, schools and local authorities to try to secure a bus service for their children going to King James's School in Knaresborough each day.

They say they understand the complicated nature of the problem but the end result is still unacceptable.

Parent Lee Bennett said: "Getting someone to take some ownership has been a real struggle.

"The routes are licensed, subsidised and overseen by the North Yorkshire County Council and the school has no apparent influence over the issue."

Wetherby's Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke has taken up the parents case.

But, despite corresponding with a number of the parents whose children are affected by Connexions Buses' decision to withdraw the service, he sees no easy solution at the moment.

In fact, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Elmet & Rothwell says he is concerned about a recent general "wave of timetable changes and service withdrawals by private bus operators across my constituency".

But, he added, these were not Government-commissioned services and ultimately it was a commercial decision taken by a private operator, not by the local authorities.

"From Leeds City Council’s point of view, as the local authority, there is provision of education for Wetherby pupils within the catchment area, " said Mr Shelbrooke.

"So there is no requirement upon the local authority to fund transport to schools for pupils in Wetherby who choose to access education outside of the catchment area."

Mr Shelbrooke does not deny that parents have the right to send their children to schools to located in a different area or town but, he says, it is not the state's job to pay for it.

"I completely understand that parental choice is key when it comes to the education of our young people," said the Wetherby MP.

"I personally believe parents should be free to choose which school to send their children to, even though, technically, there’s no requirement for the state to provide, fund or subsidise transport to schools outside of the locality.

"I have approached Connexions Buses, King James's School, Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and, most recently, TransDev to establish if there’s anything that can be done to resolve the problem."

When asked about the issue of the Wetherby-King James’s School bus service, a spokesperson for North Yorkshire County Council explained their hands were tied by their duties relating to catchment areas.

"The bus route affected is a private bus service, paid for by parents of pupils living in West Yorkshire, outside of the catchment area of King James School in Knaresborough,” said North Yorkshire County Council.

"As a local authority, we are only able to provide free school transport to pupils who live in North Yorkshire and who are entitled to free transport in line with the council’s Home to School transport policy.

"At the moment parents pay a set fee each term to the bus operator for their children to use the service.

"However, the bus company have made the decision that they are no longer able to continue the service.”