ANGRY parents have stepped up their campaign to save the school buses from Cuddington and Sandiway to Weaverham High School.

A petition has been launched, public meetings held and a protest walk organised following the announcement that the buses would be axed from April next year.

Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) wrote to parents at the end of October to explain that the buses had been provided for free because although the walking route to the high school was under three miles it was deemed hazardous.

Now that a pedestrian crossing has been installed across the A49 by the Eden Grange development, CWAC said the walking route along the 60mph road is now classed as safe.

Residents attended a meeting of Cuddington Parish Council on Monday where they had chance to ask questions of CWAC about the decision.

One resident said: "I'm a former head of operational risk for a global company so I know a little bit about risk management but the risk assessment I've seen under Freedom of Information I thought was weak.

"It didn't consider anything other than the fact you've put a new pedestrian crossing in – it ignores the fact that there's no crossing from the White Barn to the station.

"The new crossing only lets you cross one lane at a time so you're on an island in the middle of a 60mph road.

"I understand the pressures on the council around funding but if you're going to make decisions like this that affect children you do a proper job of it."

He added: "The A49 is basically a single lane motorway with people driving in excess of 60mph regularly."

He said residents had carried out their own vehicle count on Monday, which revealed that there were 1,475 vehicles on the A49 between 7.30am and 8.30am and 90 of the vehicles were heavy goods vehicles.

Parents also walked the route with their children on Friday and said it took up to an hour to walk just one way.

Cllr Charles Fifield, who represents the Weaver and Cuddington ward on CWAC, said he and fellow ward councillors supported the campaign.

"This decision is the wrong decision and we believe it should be reassessed and overturned," he said.

Residents also raised fears about children walking to school through traffic fumes on a busy road and how they would cross safely at Weaverham Roundabout.

Cuddington Parish Council decided it would write to CWAC to express its concerns about the decision on the grounds of pollution and inappropriate and insufficient crossing points.

To sign the residents' petition visit ipetitions.com/petition/save-our-school-buses