The loss of the Ecclesbourne School bus service in Darley Abbey, and its immediate surrounds, has severely impacted families and children, forcing them to use the commercial Sixes bus service from Trent Barton.

This service is inadequate and unsafe for use as a school bus, and is a huge safeguarding concern because: 

1. There is no guarantee that a Sixes bus will turn up.
2. There is no guarantee the bus will stop for you.
3. Children don't know who they'll be sharing the bus with.
4. The high cost of the Sixes Bus Service.

1. There is no guarantee that a Sixes bus will turn up.

On numerous occasions children are expecting a bus that inexplicably doesn't arrive. This means the children waiting for the earlier bus have to catch the bus with children waiting for the later bus. As a result, there are double the children trying to get a seat. Students waiting further along Duffield Road then find there is no room on the bus, and the bus drives past.  They are then left to frantically call parents to try and arrange a lift to school, or left with no option but to wait for the next bus after that, which results in them being late to school, through no fault of their own.

2. There is no guarantee the bus will stop for you.

Often when the buses are full they simply drive past children waiting at the bus stops. Children are forced to wait up to an hour after leaving school at the end of the day to get on a bus home.  If this happens on the way to school in the morning it causes them to run late to school. Young children should not be forced to stand at a bus stop, especially when it's dark in winter, without the guarantee they will be able to get home.

3. Children don't know who they'll be sharing the bus with.

There have been reports of inappropriate behaviour from members of the public towards students whilst on board Sixes buses.  Trent Barton staff cannot be expected to take responsibility for the children's safety whilst onboard, and likewise they cannot be expected to police the behaviour of the general public.  The children need a dedicated safe service that arrives and departs directly at Ecclesbourne School.

4. The high cost of the Sixes Bus Service.

Children are expected to pay nearly £5 a day to travel to and from Ecclesbourne school on the Sixes bus.  This is nearly double the amount that children who are fortunate enough to live in areas with a School bus pay. Areas such as Little Eaton, which is arguably closer to school, Holbrook, Kirk Langley, Radbourne Estate etc benefit from an inexpensive, or even free bus service.

According to Derbyshire County Council's website, their home-to-school transport policy states the provision should be available to anyone who does not live within walking distance of their normal school area.  This distance is defined as 3 miles for children over 8.  

The centre of Darley Abbey, where the old school bus historically stopped, is 3.6 miles away from Ecclesbourne.  The village has always been in the Ecclesbourne school catchment area, with a large number of students living here, and Walter Evans has always been a main feeder school to Ecclesbourne.  The fact that there was always a bus prior to the pandemic, shows there is a precedent for the service to be reinstated. 

Please sign the petition to help demonstrate how the lack of school bus is affecting our children!