WORRIED parents are appealing for the council to make a U-turn on plans to cut school buses.

Around 90 children in Cuddington and Sandiway will be affected by the proposal to axe free school transport from the villages to Weaverham High School.

Parents received letters from Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) during the weekend notifying them that the buses would be stopped from April next year.

Sandiway mum Sharon Littleford, whose 13-year-old son Joe is a pupil at Weaverham, said: "I've spoken to quite a lot of the parents and we're all up in arms.

"We're not letting this lie because it's totally out of order."

Sharon, who has four sons and a step-daughter, said CWAC has sent parents a map detailing a two-and-a-half-mile walking route to the school, in Lime Avenue, alongside the busy A49.

CWAC provides free transport for children aged 16 and under to get to their nearest available school if it is over three miles away or assessed as hazardous.

Now a new light-controlled pedestrian crossing has been installed by the former yoghurt factory on the A49, which is now a housing development, the route has been reclassified as a safe route.

But parents fear it is too far and too dangerous for children aged between 11 and 16.

"Me and my husband did a recce over the weekend and the pavements aren't wide enough," Sharon said.

"They're possibly just wide enough to walk two abreast but you're going to have gangs of them, they will be pushing and shoving and messing around because they're kids.

"They're going to have to leave home at 7.15am to get to school for 8.30am registration.

"Winter is coming, we've already had foggy days, it's an accident waiting to happen if it goes ahead."

Sharon, of Grange Road, said it would also increase congestion.

"The school is horrendous with cars trying to park or drop kids off - it's just going to make the roads around Weaverham High School even worse."

Parents are drawing up a petition which will be available to sign in shops around Cuddington and Sandiway.

A council spokesman said: "The reassessment was carried out at the times that children, accompanied as necessary, would be walking to and from school.

"Extensive assessments have been undertaken in accordance with the council’s usual practice and guidelines in order to review the area that will be affected.

"In view of this, we have informed parents and carers that the existing free transport provision will be withdrawn with effect from Easter 2016.

"We will be working with bus operators to look at the options for a commercial route which the children and young people will be able to access.

"We will also discuss options for walking and cycling with Weaverham High School."