Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

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AAE3
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:19 pm

Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

Post by AAE3 »

Hello

I just wanted to ask parents whose DCs attend or will be attending Colchester or Chelmsford schools from Thurrock: there's a 81X and 269 bus route to/from Lakeside (Thurrock areas) to Brentwood/Shenfield - coming home the last service is around 4pm which is too early for these students. I just wondered how many parents/students would use the service if it could be extended after 4pm?
The bus companies: one sounded a bit positive in that the route is a growing area and maybe sometime in the future they may consider extending the service. The other said they are contracted and run according to Essex Council

Any thoughts, comments please...
ToadMum
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

Post by ToadMum »

Sorry, but my first thought was, Who in their right mind would make their child travel all the way from Thurrock to Colchester five days a week, 39 weeks of the year, for upwards of five years of their young life?

Have you actually done the journey yourself (preferably every day for at least a week or two)? If you are thinking, bus to Shenfield, then train, CCHS / KEGS is one thing, given that they are relatively near to the station in Chelmsford (and on the flat), but adding on the walk from either Colchester station to the gramnar schools there would be truly grim.
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Proudmumregardless
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:09 am

Re: Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

Post by Proudmumregardless »

I refer you to my earlier thread aimed at parents who are considering such journeys.
Last edited by scary mum on Thu Nov 08, 2018 2:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Proudmumregardless
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:09 am

Re: Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

Post by Proudmumregardless »

ToadMum wrote:Sorry, but my first thought was, Who in their right mind would make their child travel all the way from Thurrock to Colchester five days a week, 39 weeks of the year, for upwards of five years of their young life?

Have you actually done the journey yourself (preferably every day for at least a week or two)? If you are thinking, bus to Shenfield, then train, CCHS / KEGS is one thing, given that they are relatively near to the station in Chelmsford (and on the flat), but adding on the walk from either Colchester station to the gramnar schools there would be truly grim.
They couldn't possibly do the journey themselves...how dare you consider such a thing!
streathammum
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 6:02 pm

Re: Student Transport from Shenfield / Brentwood after 4pm

Post by streathammum »

AAE3 wrote:Hello

I just wanted to ask parents whose DCs attend or will be attending Colchester or Chelmsford schools from Thurrock:
Lakeside to Colchester is an 80-mile round trip. No school is worth that journey. The 40-mile round trip to Chelmsford might look good in comparison but it's still far too far to ask a child to travel every day, especially if you're planning to do it on the roads.

Either move house (but I wouldn't advise moving for a school unless you need to move anyway) or look at other schools.
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