A ‘VITAL’ school bus service which was brought in to cope with growing demand is set to be axed next week - leading to fears that more children will be left stranded.

Netherwood Academy students travelling from Thurnscoe, Great Houghton, Middlecliffe and Darfield were left at the bus stop in the mornings or left at school in the afternoons due to the 449 school bus service, operated by Powells Bus Company, reaching its capacity of 87 ‘within minutes’ following the start of the new school year in September.

It led to an emergency service being brought in on October 2 - the 448 - although it has been announced the ‘short-term solution’ is ending despite usage remaining high.

A letter sent to parents from the school’s principal, Angela Wells, said: “From September this year there has been an increase in the number of students in Thurnscoe wanting to use the 449 bus service provided by Powells.

“SYPTE, Barnsley LEA or Powells were not aware of this increase in pupil numbers and funding for the 448 to operate from Thurnscoe as a separate bus has been in place since October 2.

“This was only a short-term solution and unfortunately this service will cease at the end of the current term.

“The funding of transport for students who live outside of three miles of Netherwood is outside of our influence.”

Parents, who complained to the school which forced the 448 to be brought in to cope with demand, now say the problems seen before will return and children will effectively be stranded if there are no seats remaining.

Little Houghton Parish Council’s Kevin Osborne, whose children attend the school, said: “Kids have been left stranded before and this news will have a big impact when they return to Netherwood in January.

“How can they police who’s using the remaining service, the 449? It will be impossible to do, even though the school says priority should go to those who live within three miles.

“It’s a great Christmas present to those children who rely on public transport and it’s also going to be disappointing for those who can’t fit on the bus to see it drive past while they are stood in the cold.

“We’re always encouraging the use of public transport but seeing it drive past will have the opposite effect.

“It cannot be right that a child’s first experience of independently using public transport is to watch an aged overcrowded bus drive through Great Houghton and Middlecliffe without stopping or find that there is not enough capacity on the service to allow them to get home safely.”