A HEADTEACHER is ‘extremely disappointed’ about bus service cuts which have affected some of his students.

First Bus has stopped taking schoolchildren from Tewkesbury to Worcester in the morning because too few people were using the service.

One parent claims pupils have dropped out of Worcester Sixth Form College because of the change.

Principal Edward Senior said: “Any change that impacts on our students travelling from Tewkesbury is extremely disappointing.

“We firmly believe that students should be able to have easy access to the schools and colleges that best meet their individual needs even if that means travelling across counties.

“Students’ choices and availability to the best opportunities for them to succeed are crucial at this stage in their education.”

He said the school had not been informed of the decision to axe the 7.20am Tewkesbury stop.

Sarah Penny, from Tewkesbury, said the cuts had affected her 17-year-old daughter, Charlotte, who studies at Worcester Sixth Form College.

She said: “The bus no longer starts from Tewkesbury for the 7.20am journey. Instead it starts at Ryall. It is also not returning to Tewkesbury.

“I have heard of several young people who have dropped their courses due to the bus changes.

“If she [Charlotte] wasn’t in her second year, we would have changed too. We are lucky because we can drive her to Ryall to get the bus but this is a 30 minute round trip twice a day.

“The 9.05am bus will still start from Tewkesbury. [But that’s] not much help when my daughter’s lessons start at 8.45am.”

Another mum said: “We are looking at trains or driving to get my daughter there as I refuse to let her miss out on a course she wants to do.”

First Worcester said it made the changes to its 363 service on Monday because of ‘changing demands’.

A spokesman added: “There has only been between three and five people travelling on a regular basis from Tewksbury at 7.20am.”

The spokesman said this meant the journey was not viable.