Published: Thursday, 18th March, 2010 10:16am

School buses axed

By Ewan McInnes

ANGRY: Pupils are losing the Pay and Go scheme

A GROUP of parents have been left in disarray after their childrens school bus service was axed.

Two weeks ago, the Barrhead News reported on proposals from East Renfrewshire Council to withdraw its Pay and Go bus service because not enough school kids were using it.

However, with no alternatives modes of transport in place, some parents are now concerned for their kids' safety.

They fear that if their children are forced to walk to school, they would have to cross Barrhead's busy Main Street at rush hour and pass through a public park.

Tracey Burke, whose daughter Hollie uses the service to get to St John's Primary school, has been left worrying how her eight-year-old will make it to school when the service is scrapped for the 2010/11 school year.

The 40-year-old mum who lives in St Mary's Crescent, said: "I am disappointed there will be no bus for Hollie to get.

"I don't want her walking through Carlibar Park or crossing the Main Street herself to get to school.

"The bus we had was great and I could safely put her on it each morning.

"We have been using the service since it started but this [decision] is penalising people who are trying to hold down a job.

"I don't mind paying for the service as long as Hollie gets to school safely."

Tracey starts work each morning at 9am as a dental nurse in Paisley and she relies on the Pay and Go service getting her daughter to and from school safely.

Her husband works away from home so it is up to her to get Hollie to school and pick her up from the bus stop in the afternoon.

However, Tracey said the withdrawal of this service will have a major impact on how her daughter gets to school.

She said: "It is just a mini-bus they put on but it was popular and a lot of parents were using it for their kids.

"Hopefully we can sort something out before the start of the next school year."

A council spokesman said the decision to scrap the Pay and Go bus service is irreversible, but they will assist any parents who want help to charter a bus from a local bus company.

He said: "We are not taking the buses off until June, so that gives us and the parents time to work on alternatives.

"We are talking to operators and will be happy to help parents organise buses or taxis so that we are not walking away from any parents and will work with them to help them get their children to school safely and on time."

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