One of the daily sights around Doncaster are the bright green double-decker buses that provide school children with a lift to school and home. But they are soon to disappear as the company is to close down.
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive are liaising with the current owner of Brightbus and the schools served to devise a replacment scheme. Schools in our area are affected:
Don Valley Academy
Outwood Academy Adwick.
The full list can be seen below:
BRIGHTBUS – CLOSURE OF BUSINESS
The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) were advised late last week by Brightbus’s Managing Director, Mr Mick Strafford, that he intends to close the business down at the end of this academic year.
Brightbus has been a key player in our market since the late 1980s and have done a lot of work to build relationships with schools and parents to encourage the safe and direct travel for young people. The child concessionary scheme has been a key part of the success of the Brightbus model. They currently provide commercial school services across South Yorkshire with approximately 11,000 journeys each day. These services run without any funding from the local authority or SYPTE.
Reasons for the closure of business
Mr Strafford has advised that the company is financially sound but the decision to close is being driven by his personal health.
Next steps
We are writing to schools to assure them that we are working to minimise the impact that this news will have. Together with the local authority, schools and other commercial bus operators, we are working to identify how the broader network will be affected by this change and where necessary discuss options for alternative arrangements from September 2017
Keeping you updated
Attached is a list of the schools which will be affected by Brightbus’s closure.
We will be in touch with you in the near future as plans start to develop. However, if you have any questions in the meantime please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards
Rachel Cowling
Communications Officer – External Relations
Telephone No. 0114 2211491
Mobile No. 07767 384563
e-mail: Rachel.Cowling@SYPTE.co.uk
Brightbus closure of business – affected schools
| School | District | Service(s) |
| All Saints’ School | Sheffield | 790 |
| Ash Hill Academy | Doncaster | 555 |
| Aston Academy | Rotherham | 671, 672, 673, 674, 675 |
| Balby Carr School | Doncaster | 518 |
| Barnsley Academy | Barnsley | 481, 482, 483 |
| Bradfield School | Sheffield | 763, 764, 765, 766, 767 |
| Brinsworth Comprehensive School | Rotherham | 640, 642 |
| The Dearne ALC | Barnsley | 407, 408 |
| Dinnington Comprehensive School | Rotherham | 619 |
| Don Valley Academy | Doncaster | 529, 530 |
| Hayfield School | Doncaster | 520, 521, 522, 523 |
| High Storrs School | Sheffield | 715 |
| Horizon Community College | Barnsley | 478, 479 |
| Hungerhill School | Doncaster | 574, 575 |
| Maltby Academy | Rotherham | 630 |
| The McAuley School | Doncaster | 580, 581, 583, 584, 585 |
| Netherwood ALC | Barnsley | 449 |
| Newfield School | Sheffield | 721, 722, 723 |
| Notre Dame School | Sheffield | 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786 |
| Outwood Academy Adwick | Doncaster | 532 |
| Outwood Academy City | Sheffield | 710 |
| Parkwood School | Sheffield | 733 |
| Ridgewood School | Doncaster | 540, 541, 542, 543 |
| St Bernard’s High School | Rotherham | 667, 668, 669 |
| St Pius X School | Rotherham | 660, 662, 664, 665 |
| Sir Thomas Wharton Community College | Doncaster | 551 |
| Stocksbridge High School | Sheffield | 777, 778 |
| Tapton School | Sheffield | 751 |
| Wales High School | Rotherham | 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 638, 639 |
| Wath Academy | Rotherham | 648, 649 |