How school buses will operate in September

Bridgend County Borough Council has confirmed that dedicated home-to-school transport services will resume for the start of the new autumn term in September 2020.

Wherever capacity allows, social distancing will be implemented between learners, or groups of learners, and between drivers/passenger assistants, or escorts, on dedicated local authority provided home-to-school transport services.

While the pandemic is still in effect, parents, carers and guardians will be strongly encouraged to use walking and cycling wherever possible to ensure their children get to and from school.

The council is recommending that face coverings be worn on school transport for secondary age pupils with masks being provided by the local authority, if requested.

All bus routes will operate as normal and new starters who are eligible for school transport will receive a letter providing details of their transport arrangements.

The impact of the pandemic continues to make itself felt, and home-to-school transport is unfortunately one of the areas where our options are extremely limited.

We are asking for as many parents, carers and guardians as possible to work with us while the pandemic is in effect, and wherever possible to use alternative methods of getting children to and from school.

The council and its partners have invested heavily in establishing a number of new safe and active travel routes to help support this, and I hope that they will be put to good use when schools reopen.

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration

You can find out more by visiting the school transport pages or emailing schooltransport@bridgend.gov.uk. The council’s website also contains details about routes and timetables.

A set of frequently asked questions is also available on the website to help prepare parents, carers, guardians and pupils ahead of schools reopening.