'It is farcical' - Parent angered by school bus being stopped by roadworks

Ben Robinson
·2-min read
The issue is affecting pupils heading to Hadleigh High School <i>(Image: Charlotte Bond/Newsquest)</i>
The issue is affecting pupils heading to Hadleigh High School (Image: Charlotte Bond/Newsquest)

The lack of notice for school buses being stopped by roadworks in a village has been branded as "farcical" by one parent.

From Monday, April 15, parents of Hadleigh High School pupils who live in Elmsett and Aldham have had to drop their children off at the junction of Naughton Road in Whatfield.

This is due to an ongoing closure in Whatfield Road, which connects the two villages.

Although a diversion route is in place along Rookery Road, a letter sent to parents from Suffolk County Council said it was "unsuitable for buses".

East Anglian Daily Times: Road closures have hampered the provision of buses temporarily
East Anglian Daily Times: Road closures have hampered the provision of buses temporarily

Road closures have hampered the provision of buses temporarily (Image: Charlotte Bond)

It is the latest road closure to have affected people living in both villages.

The Street in Aldham has been shut since mid-November 2023, with work hoped to be completed by the end of July.

"It is the icing on top of the cake," said Jane Hyde.

"As parents we were notified on Thursday they weren’t going to run the school bus.

"The only way the kids can get on a bus is if the parents can get them to Whatfield, which is another two or three miles on a back road which is already a diversion, for 8.05am. The bus is saying it can’t get to Elmsett through this diversion, so they’re not running it to Elmsett."

The letter sent to parents, which this newspaper has seen, said it is "not possible to serve Aldham and Elmsett" due to the roadworks being carried out by Anglian Water.

It added: "This is a highly unusual situation where two road closures have prevented the provision of school transport."

The school is looking to provide minibuses for the pupils affected by the situation, it is understood.

Ms Hyde added: "They have had so much time. They’ve just stopped a bus service for about 20 to 30 kids.

"It is just farcical. It is like a catalogue of errors."

A spokesman for Suffolk Highways said: "We recognise the disruption being caused by the ongoing road closure in Aldham, coupled with the Anglian Water road closure.

"We are looking into alternative solutions to minimise disruption with Anglian Water."

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