INFORMATION RE NEW BUS SERVICING POWERSTOCK SCHOOL:
Following a meeting last Friday 25th August with Tim Christian of Dorset Community Transport, the details of a new bus service are now available:
There will be a 16 seater mini bus to replace the public service 73 serving the Colfox school children and Powerstock School. This has been procured as a non-Dorset County Council initiative as far as Powerstock School is concerned and has been organised through Dorset Community Transport.
Parents who expressed their intent to use the service in July have seats reserved and can use the bus starting on Wednesday 6th September at 8.40 am from Nationwide Building Society. The routes remain the same as the 73 stops ie. Opposite Co-op, Kings Head, Gore Cross then onto Mangerton and West Milton stops. The same for afternoon stops. Please could you confirm where you child’s stop will be so I can forward this information to the new bus company.
The fare has been set at £2.30 per day/return which has been negotiated down from the original cost of £2.50 per day. This should be paid half termly in advance and I will distribute the form for this when I receive it in due course. The service is free for children who fall within catchment of the school.
The bus company would also like to know whether children are to be met from the bus by an adult or if they are permitted to walk home from the bus stop (older children) so that they are clear and within their duty of care. Please confirm this in writing/email.
I hope you will agree that this is a very positive outcome and that the service should be improved in that the buses are newer, have seatbelts (Dorset Community Transport https://ectcharity.co.uk/services/areas/dorset) and with the timings, we are able to extend the school day to help working parents.
Thank you and please don’t hesitate to contact me with any queries you may have :
Best wishes
Louise Greenham