CHILDREN in West Swindon currently studying at Ridgeway School face a long detour from September.

Instead of hopping onto their usual school bus, they will have to take a scheduled service into the town centre and then another bus out to Wroughton.

Kim Herridge, from Haydon Wick, has two children, Joanne and Luke, studying at Ridgeway School.

She said: "We always knew we would have to pay for the transport and accepted that. Last time we heard a rumour of the passes being withdrawn, the council assured us they would not be removed."

Kay King, from Shaw Ridge, is also worried about how her children, Oliver and Lucy, will get to school next year.

She said: "Changing schools would be a massive disruption at such an important stage of their education. Besides, there aren't any spare places in West Swindon."

By law the council must provide free transport for pupils who live more than three miles away within the school's catchment area.

Swindon Council spokeswoman Hellen Barnes said: "When summer term renewal letters were sent out to children outside the catchment area, they were accompanied by fliers giving parents advance notice that this arrangement was coming to an end and that they should make alternative arrangements for the autumn term.

"Changes in population and catchment areas for Ridgeway School have resulted in the council adjusting its school travel arrangements in order to run school transport as efficiently as possible."

She said the efficiency drive means reallocating a double decker bus from West Swindon to Chiseldon and Wanborough because more pupils will be attending Ridgeway School from these areas in September.