Local children must be able to get to school. And, following the upset caused last summer by a proposed cancellation of local bus services, I have been working incredible closely with the brilliant Conservative councillors at Kent County Council to ensure this can happen.
With the summer holidays now fast approaching, I want to this week use my column to provide an update on the situation for the next academic year – and spoiler alert, its good news!
Firstly, I am delighted to confirm that the local school bus services have been secured by Kent County Council for the next academic year.
AND, secondly, the TW3 bus, which this academic year stopped serving west Otford, will from September return to west Otford once trees and vegetation are cleared in Willow Park and Rye Lane.
The securing of the school bus services will be hugely welcome news for parents and pupils across Sevenoaks and will mean we can avoid the distress caused last summer when the services were under threat.
I would like to say a huge thanks to Kent County Councillor Nick Chard, who has been chairing a KCC members committee looking into school buses, as well as KCC leader Roger Gough and KCC Cabinet member David Brazier. They have been totally determined to secure these services for the next academic year. I know how much work goes into ensuring these services can run, and I am so pleased that parents and pupils alike can now head into the summer break confident that the school bus service will be in place in September.
There remains an outstanding issue with school buses serving Weald and if this impacts you, please be assured I am continuing to work on behalf of these parents to see what more can be done and will be providing updates as soon as I have them.
Buses are a lifeline for so many people in communities like ours, but rural buses in particularly are facing challenges. Whether its transporting teenagers to college, allowing pensioners to see their friends, or allowing people to travel to and from work, bus services sustain town centres, strengthen society, and protect the environment, and I will continue to campaign so that the services continue.
But, we also must use them. My message to you all today is please use your bus routes. It is the best protection we can give them.
