Last night's "Evening Telegraph" reported my concerns and those of many West End constituents about the proposed withdrawal of the 4S School Bus Service from the start of the new term this month. The 4S serves parts of the West End Ward (eg City Road, Pentland Avenue, Scott Street, Glenagnes Road, Blackness Road, Peddie Street, Hawkhill, Perth Road and Nethergate) and takes pupils to St John’s High School.
Following concerns I have received from parents of St John’s pupils about the service withdrawal, my office at Tayside House sought clarification from National Express Dundee and I paste below the response received :
“I refer to your email regarding the 4s service which currently serves the St Johns High School. As you will be aware Councillor Macpherson had a meeting with Mr Smith regarding services in the west end just prior to going off on his holiday and at that time he was informed that we had carried out a review carried of all the services which we currently operate and decisions were taken regarding those services which were no longer viable for us to operate on a commercial basis. The 4s is one such service and was not a decision that we took lightly but I can advise that the pupils who do use the service are still able to get to school and home again albeit their journeys will be slightly longer.
From the 14th August the new revised 26 service will depart from the Seagate at 0754 and from Whitehall Street at 0800 heading towards Ninewells Hospital and should arrive at the school at approximately 0840. For the return journey they have two options: one being the 26 service at 1545 towards Ninewells Hospital arriving into the City at 1627, the second option being to board the 10s leaving St John's at 1532 arriving at the Hospital at 1551 where they would then be able to catch a 5, 17 or 22 to their destination.”
This is a considerably longer and less direct route to/from school and parents are rightly concerned about it – particularly when the darker mornings and late afternoons are upon us later in the year.
As one concerned parent advised me :
“The current 4S, travelling twice a day, is usually well used, but if the company say that it makes a loss then they could at least provide the details to the council to demonstrate this fact. The 26 route is considerably longer and will add at least 30mins on to the school day by my reckoning. My daughter is likely to walk as this will actually be quicker - even though that walk will take half an hour.”
The Director of Education has advised me :
“Sent: 26 July 2011 09:41
To: Fraser Macpherson
Subject: Re: School Service Number 4SFraser
Thank you for sharing this information with me. A letter was issued by the company to the school and my understanding is that the headteacher issued a letter advising parents of the changes. The letter reads:
8th June 2011
Dear Mrs McLagan,
Bus Service 4S
I am writing to inform you that from the start of the next academic year in August 2011, bus service 4S will no longer operate. This service currently serves your school from the Peddie Street, Scott Street and Pentland Avenue areas of the City.
The service has been reviewed, along with other school services we run, and the passenger numbers do not justify the ongoing supply of the service.
I would be grateful if you could bring this to the attention of pupils that use this service.
We have a number of other services that run close to your school and these can, of course, be utilised by these pupils to access the school.
Yours sincerely.....
We have been in discussion with the bus company but they are clear that the usage was such that it was not economical to operate the service. The headteacher (Fiona McLagan) will monitor the position from the start of the new term.
Regards
Michael
Michael Wood
Director of Education
Dundee City Council”
I have asked the City Council’s Head of Transportation for usage figures. The impression I have is that the 4S was a well-used service by St John’s pupils who live in the West End and I am very concerned that the alternative arrangements to be very unsatisfactory, particularly when the winter months are upon us.
(Incidentally the 28S service is also being withdrawn – this does not affect the West End Ward but will affect pupils in Barnhill, Douglas, Happyhillock and Claverhouse who attend St Paul’s Academy).