Council axes campus-to-school bus

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Brighton and Hove Council has axed the minibus service taking children from campus to Coldean Infant and Junior Schools. Up to 15 children of Sussex students living in campus residences will be affected by the decision, which could take effect as early as January 2001.

A meeting of an education sub-committee on 20 October approved a recommendation to terminate bus services from Stanmer and the University to Coldean schools and from Woodingdean to Falmer High School, with a combined saving of £25-£30,000 (about 10% of the total cuts in the home-to-school transport budget). Over 90% of the budget is spent on pupils with special educational needs.

Parents (including Sussex students), schools and others affected by the proposals (but not the University) received a consultation leaflet setting out the options for change and explaining the reasons why they were being proposed.

Steve Healey, the council official who is responsible for school transport, said there was "not sufficient justification for a vehicle to be hired specially" for the pupils from Stanmer and Falmer. Pupils who meet eligibility criteria will be issued with bus passes or the equivalent.

Mr Healey recognised that some parents might respond to the decision by moving their offspring to Moulsecoomb school, which (unlike Coldean) is served by a direct bus route from the University.

The University currently pays £2,000 annually to the two Coldean schools to help with language tuition for children of international students and Mr Healey has written to the University to ask if the money could be diverted to fund the bus service instead.