Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

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Mostlymum
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 12:14 pm

Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by Mostlymum »

Wondered how many of you are aware of the latest BCC ruse to cut transport costs.

Although it currently just affects DCGS and DCHS, there's every chance it will be proposed for other schools.

The new plan is to replace the current separate buses for both and run joint services on double deckers, dropping at DCHS first then going onto DCGS. In the afternoon the services would start from DCHS, pick up from DCGS then return to their usual routes. This will dramatically increase journey times, reduce capacity, there will be sixteen double deckers buses attempting to access both sites every morning and afternoon not to mention add to the already busy route between the schools.

From a joint letter sent out by both heads and comments on the DCHS newsletter it seems neither school was involved in the planning of this, the heads appear to have found out on the grapevine. There was certainly nothing mentioned about route changes in the recent consultation. There is no way for the schools to oppose this and according to the head at DCHS the council are unwilling to discuss it.

We're in for an interesting few months...
kittymum
Posts: 925
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:42 pm

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by kittymum »

They already do this on our whs / JHGS and RGS route. In the morning drops at JHGS and the High School and then goes on to RGS and vice versa in the evening. It was certainly one of the factors we considered when deciding on Borlase as it added over an hour onto the day. It's a funny bit of time in the evening they wait for - not long enough to go to the library and start homework.

I know there's also been talk about merging some of the GMS / SWBGS routes.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by southbucks3 »

Our RGS coach service is already merged with a village primary school route, this means an earlier start, as it has to get to wycombe RGS and return back to collect the village kids and take them to the local primary school, all before 8.45am. They also are the last to be picked up in the evening, as he does the primary drop first, so much time is spent hanging round corner shop!

Anything to save money at the moment has to be good really, the council's are in financial dire straits, so we all need to grin and bear it and hope the essential services benefit.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by Sally-Anne »

There may be economies to be made, but I think the Heads of DCGS and DCHS put forward a very cogent argument as to why the proposed solution is unacceptable and unworkable: http://www.challoners.com/documents/Sch ... 202014.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
kittymum
Posts: 925
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:42 pm

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by kittymum »

Agree totally SB3 - have to say breathed a very big sigh of relief that bus prices only went to £544 (the curse of having a non catchment upper - which will always have vacancies - less then 200m closer to me then SWBGS my closest catchment school).
Last edited by kittymum on Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
southbucks3
Posts: 3579
Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:59 am

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by southbucks3 »

Hmm,
Cannot quite work out why they don't drop the boys off first if it is on route to grls, other than this peculiarity, why would the journey take any longer really, a few extra girls bundling on or off at each stop surely cannot add that much time?
singingmummy
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:34 pm

Re: Proposed transport changes for DCGS and DCHS

Post by singingmummy »

The increased journey times arise from the extra time incurred travelling between the schools, which are 2 miles apart, using roads which are already at crawling speed; and attempting to get 16 double decker buses up and down the drive to the girls school will be a challenge, as it is virtually single lane and gets blocked so easily.

The council's planning apparently allows 15 minutes for the buses to pick up, depart and arrive and the boys school despite these challenges so unfortunately their planning is ignoring the reality of the situation.

Also the recent transport consultation did not make it clear that parents would be asked to pay more for a vastly reduced service.
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