WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has called for a pause on plans which will see a Malvern school bus service re-routed half a mile away from the school.
First Bus contacted the Chase School, in Malvern, two days before the end of term to announce that its school service will not stop outside the school.
Pupils will now be expected to walk half a mile to the nearest bus stop in Barnards Green.
The school wrote to parents this week and also asked the MP to intervene to try and head off an issue when pupils return to school after the Christmas break.
The school’s leadership has expressed health and safety worries for the extra pupils who will now be forced onto the streets amongst the many parents collecting their children from school by car.
Dame Harriett said: “The school bus transport scheme is vital to encourage greater bus usage and to reduce the number of cars on our busy roads at peak times.
“The school has been clear to me that they are now concerned about the impact this may have on safety and I have promised to relay their fears to Worcestershire County Council, which is responsible for managing the school transport provision.
“I am disappointed that this has all happened at very short notice and as a first step, I have asked the county council to step in and halt this change while proper consultation is carried out.
“It seems self-defeating to risk fewer pupils using buses to get to and from school and I hope that wiser heads will prevail to review this change in time for the start of next term.”
A spokesperson for First Bus in Worcester said they note the concerns raised and have stated they made the school aware of the possible changes in October 2024.
The spokesperson added: “Because of increased traffic at school pick-up time, our service suffers significant delays along Geraldine Road, and therefore we have decided to move the Chase High School stop in the afternoon to avoid the ongoing congestion.
“Instead, we’re asking pupils to walk the 600 metres or 10 minutes walk to the nearest available bus stop on Barnard’s Green Road. We will maintain the school drop-off in the mornings, Monday to Friday.
“We recognise there are strong feelings about this change, but also acknowledge that we need to do something to combat the significant delays the traffic congestion has on other service 44 passengers on the wider route.
“This is why we are now in discussions with the county council and the school to see whether there are any solutions that help us avoid the congestion while maintaining a reliable service for school pupils and the wider community.”
