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Pupils fight bus timetable plans
A SCHOOL pupil could be forced to wait for over an hour at the front gates because of changes to bus timetables.
From Sunday a series of route and timetable alterations come into force affecting Arriva services across Aylesbury Vale.
This week a year nine pupil at Waddesdon Church of England school wrote a letter to his teachers, councillors and the bus company urging them to look again at the plans.
The youngster, who currently catches the number 17 bus from Steeple Claydon, will no longer be able to catch the 3.15pm bus after school and get home at 3.41pm.
Instead he will be forced to wait until 4.25pm for the bus to arrive – and will not get home until 4.57pm.
In an open letter he claimed the changes are likely to force some parents to have to use the ‘already busy roads’ to drive and collect their children.
Another pupil from Haddenham, aged 12, has collected 140 signatures over the changes to school buses. She says the plans left her ‘annoyed’.
“It means I have to get up a lot earlier and walk further. I will also have to wait after school as the new bus does not arrive until later,” she said.
The services are managed by Transport For Buckinghamshire, which says it ‘keeps services under continual review’.
Andrew Clarke, passenger transport contract manager, said: “Changes to the timetables were made to make the best use of the buses, and were tailored to the needs of the majority of passengers.
“We consulted on them in October and November, and there was a wide response. As a result the proposed timetables were amended to take in the most common requests.
“Information about the new timetables was given to Waddesdon School in December.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to support a bespoke school service, although those entitled to home to school transport will be accommodated on school buses.”
Public documents, released to outline the changes, says that ‘service 17, which currently provides a journey to and from Waddesdon School is not well used’.
It points out that Steeple Claydon is in the catchment area for a school in Buckingham and ‘most pupils are travelling there’.
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Weather for Aylesbury
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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WhatsThePoint
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:15 AMWelcome to the world of public transport.
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