South Yorkshire PTE has secured £225,699 of emergency public funding to replace 78 schoolbus services provided by MAS Special Engineering-owned BrightBus in the 2017/18 academic year.
BrightBus closed at the end of July, threatening the provision of the services to 32 schools. The additional local authority funding will ensure that services are available from September for all children entitled to free travel or who live beyond the statutory walking distances.
The PTE worked closely with other bus companies and the affected schools to devise replacements. ‘While we have explored every avenue, the situation does mean some pupils will not have the direct links previously provided by BrightBus,’ says director of public transport Ben Gilligan, who was previously a managing director with First.
‘Together with the schools, we are now focused on supporting those currently using the small number of services that will not be covered to plan alternative travel on the local bus network ahead of the start of next term.’
