Eye: Joy as Hartismere School bus route reinstated

The 319 bus route to Hartismere High School was withdrawn in July.

Jeff Morss, owner of Fareline Bus & Coach Services, which ran the 319, said it was no longer "viable" for the bus route to continue without council funding. 

The 319 service took many students to Hartismere School. (Image: Newsquest)

However, after an investigation by this newspaper, Mr Morss shared the "good news" that he had seen enough interest to register a commercial bus service to replace the old 319.

He said: "Hopefully this will start at the beginning of the new school year.

"I may have to run it for free for a few days until authorisation is approved, but there will be a new service."

When the route was first cancelled, the council confirmed that they had moved "eligible pupils" for funded places from the 319 onto the 318 service, which misses out Stradbroke.

READ MORE: 'It's unacceptable' - Dad's anger as daughters' planned school bus route axed

They will not, however, be funding places on the newly restored 319 service despite concerns from parents that there will not be enough space on the 318 for all Hartismere High students to get to school.

Previously, father-of-two Duncan McGregor complained that he was scrambling to find other means of transport for his two daughters after the bus service was cancelled.

Duncan McGregor's daughters are starting years seven and eight at Hartismere School in September. (Image: Duncan McGregor)

Mr McGregor, also the leader of Denham Parish Council, slammed Suffolk County Council, saying it is not doing enough to save bus routes.

He added: "The worst part is that, had it not been for other parents telling me via Facebook and Nextdoor, I would have packed them off to catch the bus on their first day of school in September."