DESPITE waves of condemnation from parents and residents and a school transport plan that slams suggested alternatives as dangerous, Thurrock Council appears determined to carry on with its cost-saving plans to scrap free school buses for students at Stanford-le-Hope's St Clere's Secondary School who live in the villages Linford and East and West Tilbury.

The plan to scrap the service was first mooted in a survey for residents to comment on, exclusively revealed on Thurrock Nub News in December last year.

The council is suggesting that pupils should either take a train or walk or cycle down narrow and busy country lanes – alternatives that have been damned by residents. Another Nub News report last month contains a video of the route the children are being expected to undertake.

And, despite claims in a report to next week's meeting of the council's children's services overview and scrutiny committee that the school supports the scheme, its own recently updated travel plan says: "Pupils from East Tilbury and Linford are currently not allowed to cycle to school as the road is too dangerous."

That appears in complete contrast to statements in the report, prepared by Sarah Williams, strategic lead for the council's education support service, which says the council has the support of the school.

It says: "The issues of safety, capacity, timing and other factors impacting students travel along the route have been considered in depth supported by a professional risk assessment and discussions with C2C, the headteacher of St Clere's School and ward councillors."

Yet East Tilbury ward councillors Fraser Massey and Sue Sammons have been ardent critics of the plan to scrap buses.

Both urged residents to oppose the plans in the council's consultation.

Cllr Sammons said: "I hope all parents complete this survey and put what a valuable service the school bus is. Can you imagine that amount of children trying to go by train?"

And Cllr Massey added: "Myself and Sue have spoken and will be making urgent enquiries into this. Please get as many answers submitted on the survey as possible to show much the bus service means to everyone here."

Sarah Williams report says: "Officers have undertaken a review of all transport to St Clere's School along a route considered for many years to be an 'Unsafe route'.

"However, a number of safe alternative routes are being investigated/reviewed including an existing public transport route.

"Therefore, the council having sought external legal advice believe that the route to St Clere's School can be declared safe once alternative routes have been identified.

"As a result, the buses currently travelling along the route deemed unsafe could be decommissioned.

"There are currently six buses transporting St Clere's students to and from East Tilbury and Linford. The issues of safety, capacity, timing and other factors impacting students travel along the route have been considered in depth supported by a professional risk assessment and discussions with c2C, the headteacher of St Clere's School and ward councillors.

"The council is confident that the alternative routes of the train and the bus will provide suitable provision for the children travelling to St Clere's School. Legal advice was sought on the issue and the guidance was that the option of other means of transport would be a safe route to school meaning the local authority does not have to pay for buses to transport children to this school."