Parents in Barcombe say lack of bus passes puts children in danger

East Sussex County Council has announced that, due to cost-cutting measures, schoolchildren living within a 3-mile radius of Chailey School will no longer receive a free bus pass.

Parents in Barcombe, a village near Lewes, have said that many families rely on the passes to ensure their children can get to school safely and affordably.

Four children from three different families have been refused bus passes to get to Chailey secondary school despite the school bus stopping nearby or driving directly past their houses.

Two families along Town Littleworth Road in Barcombe were expecting their 11-year-old daughters to automatically qualify for bus passes when they started secondary school in September 2024.

The Strong family, whose two older children had both always received bus passes without issue, were “gobsmacked” to hear that their year 7 daughter did not qualify, despite her year 9 brother still receiving his bus pass for September.

The Annis family also did not receive a bus pass for their Year 7 daughter.

The parents describe Town Littleworth Road as a “rural, narrow, road with no footways or lighting”, used by cars as a cut-through during rush hour and by heavy goods vehicles.

The road has “blind corners and rough verges” with “steep hedgerows” in some places which do not always allow for an easy “step up” off the road.

Jules Annis said: “I would never let my daughter walk along the road as a route to school. Having lived on the road for the last seven years, I have only walked along it myself a handful of times, but it’s always a hairy experience as cars speed along at 60 mph.”

Cllr Joa Saunders, who is a district councillor for Chailey, Barcombe and Hamsey, said: “It is simply not right to put children’s lives in danger as a cost cutting exercise. Chailey Secondary School is a uniquely rural school, with most students needing to catch a bus to get to school.

“With the reduction in bus passes, there is a knock-on effect of extra unnecessary cars on the already clogged roads.”

Chailey Secondary School has been described as a uniquely rural school (Image: Supplied) The situation has caused problems for working parents who had expected their children to receive the bus pass.

The Strong and Annis family have had both their stage 2 appeals to admissions and transport at East Sussex Council refused.

An East Sussex County Council spokeswoman said: “There is not a shortage of bus passes as has been suggested. Home to school transport support is provided to families of secondary school students where there is not an available route of less than three miles to the nearest school that can be walked by a child in reasonable safety, accompanied as necessary by a responsible adult.

“Routes are assessed using national road safety guidelines and include public rights of way such as footpaths and bridleways, in line with Department for Education guidance.

“Given the existence of an available route from Town Littleworth Road, families in that area do not qualify for assistance and it is for parents and carers to determine what arrangements are suitable for their child.

“Low income families have an extended right to transport assistance, and should any of these families fall within that category they can apply by visiting https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/education-learning/schools/transport/free/apply-for-school-transport-due-to-family-income”

When questioned about people being able to pay for a bus the spokeswoman said: "If there is a spare seat on the service families can purchase a pass to travel under our vacant seat scheme”.