PARENTS from North Petherton are angry after it emerged their children may no longer be given free school transport to Robert Blake Science College in Bridgwater in the new year.

The law states that a bus must be provided for children aged eight and over who live more than three miles away from the school.

Following completion of major roadworks between North Petherton and Bridgwater, Somerset County Council has re-measured the home-to-school distance for every child in the village.

Since September 2015, a bus had been put on for children from North Petherton within the statutory walking distance due to the danger of the road.

The council now say the route is being reassessed, and if it is deemed safe then free school transport will be withdrawn from those living within three miles of the school.

However angry parents say they are concerned for their children's safety if the bus is cancelled.

Parent Maxine Dyer said: "First and foremost this is a safety issue and I know many parents are worried. You could have 80 or so children, some as young as 12, walking on narrow pavement in North Petherton before having to cross Huntworth roundabout which is extremely busy.

"There is a lot of talk about being environmentally friendly from the council, but losing the bus could potentially lead to another 50 cars or so on the road which will only add to congestion – and it will only get worse with Hinkley traffic."

Rachel Saunders added: "We just want our children to be able to get to school safely. There are lots of big lorries on the road, and it is not always obvious where drivers are coming off at Huntworth even to adults, never mind children."

The Mayor of North Petherton, Cllr Alan Bradford, has called for an urgent meeting with Somerset County Council after worried parents had been in touch about the authority’s proposal to withdraw school transport from children in North Petherton attending the Robert Blake College.

The matter was raised as an urgent item at the North Petherton Town Council meeting and members expressed their deep concern about the dangers children would face having to negotiate the busy Huntworth Roundabout at peak times.

Cllr Bradford said “We haven’t been consulted about this, so the first thing is to establish all the facts. However, if they are seriously thinking of doing this, they need to think again.

"It isn’t safe for children to walk or cycle to school along these very busy and dangerous roads, and that fact must override any other considerations.

"Hopefully, when the County Council has properly investigated this, they will decide to leave well alone”.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: "“No decision has been made yet. Council officers will receive a formal route assessment report within the next week which will consider all aspects of safety. Should the route be assessed as safe then free school transport will be withdrawn from non-entitled children over the Christmas break."

The council say they expect the impact on congestion would be mitigated by a mix of walking and cycling, car shares, 30 pay seats on the remaining school bus that comes through North Petherton and the public bus.

"During the half-term period of October 2016, parents (of those children who’d been measured as living within statutory walking distance) were sent letters advising them that should the new route be deemed as safe, school transport would be withdrawn during the Christmas period," the spokesman said.

"The route assessment is still being produced as it requires walks of the route and the collation and analysis of a range of data relating to traffic flow and accidents. This should be with the council shortly.

"Should transport be withdrawn it will lead to the removal of one large school transport vehicle. Another large vehicle will still be travelling through North Petherton and there are around 30 spare seats that have been offered to parents as Pay Seats on a first come, first served basis."