WELLWOOD parents are angry about a “farcical” decision to withdraw their kids’ free school bus service.

After Wellwood Primary School was closed last year, a bus was provided for children in the area to take them to McLean Primary School.

Now, Fife Council has decided to axe the service for children who live within a mile of the school, leaving them with a walk along a busy road to get to school unless they are willing to pay a fare.

Chris Ingram, chair of Wellwood Community Council and a parent himself, is angry with the u-turn. “When Wellwood closed the agreement was for a free bus for the village,” he said. “To put it off after one year is absolutely farcical.

“I’ve spoken to numerous members of the village and they are up in arms about it. It’s ridiculous.

“It’s a busy road anyway, and with construction traffic it will be a lot busier. There’s no way I’d send my seven or eight-year-old son to make that walk himself. I’d like to see one of them walk that road at 8.40am with 25 kids and see how safe it is. Are they putting a price on the kids’ safety? It’s absolute madness.” He also hit out at the confusion over which children are entitled to the free travel, and questioned why the service isn’t being kept for all if the bus is making the journey anyway.

“As a parent I’ve had no communication from the school at all to say whether my son is entitled to a bus,” he said.

“A kid right across the road from me got a letter to say he wasn’t entitled to the school bus any more but I’ve had nothing.

"The ones who aren’t entitled any more can still use it if they pay, but they’ve not told them the cost!

“The while thing has just been farcical. The children have to meet at the same place to get a bus so we’ll have some kids who are entitled walking right past the houses of those who aren’t entitled on their way to get to the bus. It’s comical.

“They need to provide a big enough bus for them all anyway, in case people do want to pay for it, so they’re doing that route anyway.

"The council are the ones who closed the school and made the kids go the extra distance so why not keep it free for everyone?” Dunfermline MSP Cara Hilton joined forces with residents to call on Fife Council to reverse their decision.

“I fully share the concerns of Wellwood residents and parents about this decision,” she said.

“The path that will now be the only walking route to school is simply not safe enough and parents are rightly concerned for the wellbeing of their children.

“I find it deeply alarming that this service should be so quickly removed following the closure of the school, particularly in light of the promises made to parents and the local community.

“It is essential that Fife Council fulfil the promise they made to parents and pupils to provide safe transport to and from school for these children so I would ask that this decision is reconsidered at the earliest opportunity and that the bus service is reinstated for these pupils.” Ms Hilton has also written to Craig Munro, executive director for education and children’s services, saying she was “extremely disappointed” about the decision to withdraw the service, branding it an “unnecessary blow” to the village.

Shelagh McLean, head of education and children’s services (equity and system improvement), said, “After the closure of Wellwood Primary School, it was agreed that we would provide free transportation for all pupils for the remainder of the 2014/15 academic year even if they lived within one mile of their new school, McLean Primary.

“Now that this transition period has come to an end, as agreed, we are to revert to the current Fife Council policy that provides free transportation to those pupils attending their catchment area school who live more than one mile from it.

“For pupils that live within one mile of McLean Primary School, it was established during consultation that, in accordance with Fife Council policy, a safe walking route was available.

"However, if parents still wish for their children to take the bus to school, they will be able to do so by paying a fare to the driver.”