Simonds bus service, between Diss and Bury St Edmunds, slammed after schoolchildren left stranded in Great Barton

Concerns are growing over a bus service after schoolchildren were left stranded at a stop when their bus home failed to turn up.

The Simonds 70 and 70A bus route between Diss and Bury St Edmunds has come under scrutiny from residents and councillors in Great Barton who say the service has become increasingly unreliable since being taken over by Transport Made Simple last May.

These concerns escalated after schoolchildren in Great Barton were left stranded at the A143 bus stop and parents were forced to collect them.

Maggie Dunn, chairman of Great Barton Parish Council, said: “It’s very hit and miss as to whether the bus will actually turn up.

“Children are relying on this bus to get to and from school — and then it just doesn’t arrive? It’s not good enough and this whole thing is just a nightmare.”

A spokesperson for Transport Made Simple apologised to passengers who have faced delays — citing ‘unavoidable roadworks outside of Bury St Edmunds’ which they said had caused ‘knock-on’ disruption to the 70 and 70A routes.

The company confirmed it is setting up a new customer service team at its Diss site to deal with local issues more effectively and to work with authorities to improve real-time travel information at bus stops across the region, a service which has already been rolled out across much of Norfolk.

They said: “While we pride ourselves on running highly dependable services, we understand how important reliable and stress-free journeys are, particularly during the busy back-to-school period.

“Under our Passenger Promise, if your trip is disrupted by more than 30 minutes, whether due to a cancellation or significant delay, you are entitled to claim the cost of alternative travel.”

As part of the policy, the spokesperson said this may include reimbursement for a train ticket, a ride with another bus operator or a taxi fare.

The latest problems follow safety concerns raised less than a year ago when changes to the village bus route forced children to use the bus stop on the busy A143 instead of safer locations around Great Barton.

At the time, parents launched a petition calling for the bus stops in Livermere Road, Conyers Green, Bunbury Avenue and School Road to be reinstated — arguing schoolchildren were being put at risk walking along narrow paths to reach the A143 bus stop.

Despite attracting more than 500 signatures, the old route was never restored.

The Simonds service operates between Diss and Bury St Edmunds, serving Palgrave, Wortham, Botesdale, Rickinghall, Wattisfield, Stanton, Ixworth, Thurston and Great Barton.

Meanwhile, Suffolk County Council recently announced £2.8 million in grant funding to improve bus services across the county, including the launch of Mulley’s M40 route linking Bury, Great Barton and Thurston.

While Cllr Dunn welcomed the additional service — however, she said the Mulley’s bus has only highlighted the ongoing issues with the Simonds service further.

“The issues don’t just affect Great Barton but other villages too,” she said. “They need to take action and get this sorted out.

“Not every child has a parent who can easily come out and get them when the bus doesn’t turn up, that’s part of the reason they’re on the bus in the first place.

“Bus services are vital for anyone living in villages, especially our older residents too who just want to get into town.”