PARENTS have expressed concern that a free local school bus service is about to be withdrawn – leaving village children and families with difficult choices and even the possibility of having to change schools.

Thurrock Council is hosting a consultation on the bus service it subsides that takes children from East Tilbury to St Clere's school in Stanford-le-Hope.

The survey, which is not hosted on the council's home consultation page, wants to know how parents would arrange for their children to get to St Clere's is the service is cut. Parents and carers have been invited to take part in an emailed message.

Parents have already expressed their disquiet and concern about the scheme, with parents whose children are already split between schools wondering how they will manage if the bus service is lost.

When the idea of St Clere's secondary was first conceived in the late seventies (it opened in 1978) it was initially planned to be in East Tilbury where there was significant demand for school places.

However, the opportunity came up to obtain much cheaper land in Stanford-le-Hope and so the school was built there, with the promise that East Tilbury children would always be given free travel.

Now cash-strapped Thurrock Council appears to be looking at ways it can break that promise, with travel by train, public bus services or private transport possible alternatives. It also wants to know if parents and carers think is possible to cycle from East Tilbury, down narrow, windy unlit country roads, to the school in safety.

Conservative ward councillor Sue Sammons appears to be against any ending of the service, saying: "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 local independent councillor Fraser Massey says: "I have just been made aware of this today, I don't think the end date of 31 December is long enough with Christmas and Covid going on and also do not like it is not aimed at children starting in 2022 and beyond.

"Myself and Sue have spoken and will be making urgent enquiries into this.