Campaign for school buses over pupils' safety
LDRSCampaigners are calling for Kent County Council (KCC) to launch a bus service for a secondary school before a pupil is "injured, killed or abducted".
Parents gathered at Chilmington Green School, Ashford, on Tuesday to highlight their concerns.
The group is calling for dedicated buses to and from the secondary school's new purpose-built site which opened in September 2025.
KCC told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the route had been assessed twice – in the morning and afternoon – by its regulation committee appeal panel and declared safe.
Parents claim the designated "safe" walking route from the Singleton area is too long, badly-lit and potentially dangerous – particularly during winter months.
A petition launched earlier this month has gathered 1,100 signatures so far.
LDRSConservative county councillor Bill Barrett, who joined the campaigners, said: "This school is only going to get bigger, year by year, so the problem is going to grow year by year.
"We need action and we need it now before a child is killed, injured or abducted on that so-called safe route."
A KCC spokesperson said: "Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school and to make appropriate travel arrangements.
"While KCC cannot provide transport where there is no entitlement under the home-to-school transport policy, parents may wish to work together to arrange a privately funded coach service if there is enough demand."