Emergency school bus service

An emergency transport package has been put together over the weekend to get hundreds of pupils to their Essex schools.

On Monday all but three of the routes formerly operated by Phoenix Student Travel will be running.

The company, based in Witham, which carried pupils to and from 10 of the county's schools, ceased operating on Friday after running into financial difficulties.

First Group buses have stepped in to take around 70% of the children, leaving between 300 and 400 without school transport.

The schools affected are: Southend High School for Girls Southend High School for Boys King Edward 6th Grammar School, Chelmsford Chelmsford County High for Girls St John Payne Chelmsford Westcliff High School for Girls Westcliff High School for Boys Colchester Royal Grammar School Colchester County High School for Girls Anglo European School at Ingatestone

Long-term plans for the future of the routes have not been finalised but it was hoped that most of the 1100 affected pupils would be able to get a bus to school on Monday morning.

The schools affected were in Southend, Colchester, Westcliff and Chelmsford.

On Friday an Essex County Council spokesman said it did not have any responsibility for getting the children to school.

The bus service was provided for children who were not entitled to free transport.