New bus firms to replace Jeffs Coaches' routes (From Witney Gazette)

New bus firms to replace Jeffs Coaches' routes

11:24am Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By Emma Harrison, Reporter covering Rose Hill, Littlemore and Iffley. Contact me on 01865 425430

NEW bus operators have taken over six school bus routes after the company which ran them collapsed.

Students in the Bicester and Banbury area will now be able to get to school next week on routes run by Cheney Travel and County Connect.

The routes were previously operated by Jeffs Coaches, which called in administrators on Thursday last week.

Five of the six services will be operated by Cheney Travel: two routes to Cropredy School, two routes between Bicester and Blessed George Napier School and one route between Wardington, Hanwell Fields and St John’s School in Banbury.

Students travelling on the single bus route between Cottisford, Mixbury and Magdalen School in Brackley will be picked up by a County Connect bus run by Northamptonshire County Council.

Routes will resume after half term.

Oxfordshire County Council say that the changes have saved £45,000 when compared to the contracts with Jeffs Coaches.

Councillor Rodney Rose, the deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council and cabinet member for transport, said: “It was obviously important for us to act quickly to make sure that the 178 users of those six services are able to resume their travel to school in a seamless way on Monday, November 5, when classes resume following half term.

“We believe we have achieved that and I would like to thank our public transport staff and the bus operators for working together to bring about this conclusion.”

Jeffs Coaches is owned by Birmingham-based Bowen Travel Group.