11 Plus Exams Forum

Can anyone tell me if the BETHS coach service from/ via Locksbottom and Orpington is well-used and reliable? Also, views on if they might be flexible about adding additional stops en route if there was demand eg. along Crofton Road, given currently according to the timetable it goes non-stop from the Locksbottom stop to Orpington station? Thanks.

My son has been taking the coach since Sept. From what I understand, the coach is currently full (around 24 boys). I have found it to be very reliable - we're at one of the later stops, and this week it has been 10 mins late a couple of times, due to heavy traffic on the A21 and the Crofton Road/Crofton Lane temporary traffic lights, but they have still arrived at school in time. On a normal traffic day, the coach arrives at our stop pretty much on time, and they usually get to school around 8.15am.

You'd have to email the school to ask about flexibility of adding stops en route. Hope that helps!

Thank you, that's really helpful, appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Also good to hear there are quite a few who get this bus from over this way.

You're welcome. I think it's mostly years 7-9 on the coach (although my son doesn't actually speak to anyone on the coach, so that's just my guess!) I wonder if they'll increase the capacity if there's more demand for it next year from boys in Orpington - it was certainly a huge deciding factor for us in choosing the school. My son usually gets back to Petts Wood between 4.05-4.15pm, which I think is great, considering that it's not a local school.