A SCHOOL bus service used by children in Lyde Green and Emersons Green has a new operator in time for the new term.
But parents have warned that there are more families wanting to use the 459 to Winterbourne Academy for their children than there are seats available – raising the prospect of a “lottery” for places.
Stagecoach, which previously ran the 459 to and from Winterbourne Academy, withdrew at the end of the summer term, saying it was no longer able to run it on a commercial basis.
South Gloucestershire Council, which is responsible for funding transport for children entitled to free school travel, asked the West of England Combined Authority, which has overall responsibility for transport, to find a new operator.
A WECA spokesperson told the Voice that from September 2, the 459 will be run by Eurocoaches.
The spokesperson said WECA would be liaising with Winterbourne Academy to help provide information to parents about the new arrangements.
The bus will accommodate a total of 93 people, 78 sitting and 15 standing.
But parents who have been campaigning to protect school buses say 132 children from 94 families would use the 459 bus service from September, if enough seats were available.
That would leave the families of 39 children having to make alternative arrangements such as lift shares.
And demand would be even higher if no replacement is found for the 458 from Fishponds and Downend to Winterbourne Academy, which was run by the school last year but currently has no operator, after the council and WECA said they could not subsidise it.
Another 49 children, from 32 families, would use it.
Parent Libby Rogers said: “Families are having to change working hours and try and sort lift shares but there are going to be children who will struggle to get to school on time – or at all.”