Fare rises on Go Bus Transport Dunedin school buses and the cancelling of three school bus services have sparked complaints from concerned parents.
Go Bus Transport has announced it will cancel the daily 3.10pm school bus from Kavanagh College to Corstorphine; the 7.45am bus from Portobello to John McGlashan College, and the 3.30pm return bus from the college to Portobello.
Waverley resident Dave Tozer raised his concerns with the ODT about the cancellation of the 3.30pm college service from John McGlashan, with effect from July 20.
And he has also written to the Otago Regional Council, Go Bus Transport, and Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, making a ''formal complaint'', including over lack of consultation or a forum to discuss alternatives.
Mr Tozer's son, Mitchell (15) said he could still take the usual morning bus to the college, but losing the return service was ''frustrating'' and could mean taking two buses and long delays getting home.
Otago Regional Council support services manager Gerard Collings replied to Mr Tozer and the ODT that the three services being ended were wholly commercial, operated by the bus firm without any subsidy or other council involvement.
He empathised with Mr Tozer's concerns and family transport situation, and said the college could arrange a charter bus service if it wished, but the council would not be providing an alternative service.
And he provided details of alternative routes home, using public buses, one arrangement bringing a passenger back to Waverley shortly before 5pm.
Mr Tozer said this outcome was ''pretty poor, really''.
His son was being asked to find his own way home by taking two buses, arriving an hour later than previously, and potentially being exposed to bad weather for 40 minutes while waiting for the second bus.
Another Waverley resident, Steve Cogger, also contacted the ODT, saying he was concerned about a planned increase in the morning bus fare from $1.80 to $2.80 between Waverley and Kavanagh College, also from July 20.
This fare, provided through a new 10-ride ticket, amounted to a 56% increase and was ''getting beyond a joke'', Mr Cogger said.
His daughter, Charlotte, faced higher transport costs, but he was also concerned some parents might not be able to afford the fare hike.
Go Bus Transport southern operations director Nigel Piper, of Christchurch, said he empathised with the community concerns and realised cutting services was ''unpopular''.
But the cancelled services were not commercially viable and alternative public bus services were available for the pupils affected.
There had been no fare rises on these Go Bus school bus routes for at least three years, and road transport costs had been rising, he said.
