Background of the Bus Service Introduction
A bus company has expressed understanding of the frustration and stress experienced by families regarding plans to discontinue a bus service that was initially introduced after some school pupils were left without transportation.
The additional bus provision operating between Dumfries and Thornhill was launched in August, supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) and the regional transport authority Swestrans, with the aim to "prevent immediate disruption" to students' education.
Operator's Announcement and Capacity Concerns
However, the operator, McCalls Coaches, announced that this service will cease on 1 July. The company also cautioned that once the bus reaches full capacity, it will have to refuse further passengers.
"We will run our bus to capacity but as soon as we are full unfortunately we will have to deny travel as it would be unsafe and illegal to be overloaded,"
McCalls Coaches further stated that the decision was beyond their control and not one they made themselves.
"We are really limited as to what we can do here or how to help. It wasn't our decision to make."
The company encouraged those with complaints to submit them in writing to Swestrans and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused.
"We are truly sorry for any inconvenience."
Council's Position and Financial Considerations
Dumfries and Galloway Council clarified that the annual expense of maintaining the service, approximately £44,000, was "unsustainable." The council also emphasized that there is no legal obligation to provide free transportation for pupils attending schools outside their designated catchment areas.
The transportation issues initially arose in August when some pupils were unable to travel from Dumfries to Wallace Hall Academy, located about 16 miles (25 km) away in Thornhill, following the commencement of new bus contracts.
In response, the local authority and its transport partnership intervened to provide an additional service alongside the existing one.
Details on the Temporary Service
The council noted that the temporary additional bus service was introduced to accommodate pupils who could not use the 246 commercial bus service to attend school.
This extra bus operated on the same route at a cost exceeding £1,000 per week.
It was highlighted that pupils attending Wallace Hall Academy from outside the catchment area are not entitled to free school transport.
Currently, 226 of the 572 pupils enrolled at Wallace Hall Academy are non-catchment students, with 178 of them residing in Dumfries.
Decision to Cease Additional Bus Service
The Swestrans board decided late last month that the additional bus provision would end on 1 July.
The council acknowledged the impact of this decision and has informed parents and carers to allow them to consider either changing schools or arranging alternative travel options.
It also committed to collaborating with all parties connected to the school to "support the transition" into the new academic year.
