Privilege Seats: Extra Bus Services For 'Displaced' Isle Of Wight Pupils

Tuesday, 18 August 2020 14:02

By Oliver Dyer @olidyer

Photo thanks to Families of the Freshwater to Cowes school bus students.

Southern Vectis has promised to run extra school bus services after scores of pupils in the West Wight were left without transport.

As Isle of Wight Radio previously reported, Isle of Wight Council announced cuts in its budget earlier this year.

The local authority said unused privilege seats - bus seats for pupils who go to school outside their catchment area - were costing it too much money.

This prompted outrage in the West Wight community, with around 50 students at Cowes Enterprise College living in Freshwater, Totland, Colwell, Yarmouth, Shalfleet and surrounding villages relying on the service.

Southern Vectis has since announced it will provide options for pupils without a seat on Isle of Wight Council-funded school buses.

Richard Tyldsley, Southern Vectis general manager, said:

“We know a number of pupils have missed out on privileged seats this year - so we are pleased to be providing additional resources to accommodate those displaced students.

“Our plan is to run additional buses along some of our key commercial routes - linking to schools, as well as some dedicated school buses.

"If you bought a privileged seat from the council last year, but do not have a seat this year, we have produced a handy guide showing all the options available to you.

“We have had many requests from parents living in the West Wight whose children attend Cowes Enterprise College, and I’m pleased to say we are able to offer a direct bus for this group.

“Full details of these services are now available on our website.”

For more information about Southern Vectis’ school bus services, please visit islandbuses.info

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Privilege Seats: Extra Bus Services For 'Displaced' Isle Of Wight Pupils

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