Axed bus service a big blow for family

Girl with Down’s syndrome may have to move school

A WEST Drayton family are worried their sixyear-old daughter with Down’s syndrome may have to move schools after Hillingdon Council announced it would no longer be providing a bus pick up service.

Nick and Cathy Boore received a letter from the council around two weeks ago, announcing their daughter will not be picked up or dropped off to her home by bus, as it aims to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads.

Instead the couple will have to take their daughter to a prearranged pick up point, which has yet to be announced, and they said it is the uncertainty that is fuelling their concerns.

Mr Boore, 43, told the Gazette: “We don’t know how it’s going to affect us.

“They just seem to be cutting children’s services all over the place.

“They seem to be cutting it to the most vulnerable people.

“The last thing we want to do is take her out of the school, but it might come to that.”

Their daughter currently uses the Hillingdon Councilprovided bus service to get to Grangewood Special School, around eight miles away in Eastcote.

Grangewood is a primary school for children with severe learning difficulties and physical and complex needs, but because of budget cuts by the council, group pick-up points will be introduced after the spring half-term on February 20 next year.

Hillingdon Council said the new scheme is being introduced to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads and the number of vehicles arriving at the school.

However, Mr Boore fears for the impact the changes will have on his family, especially as the couple have four children, including a six month old baby.

He said: “We’ve got other children as well to sort out.

“We’re Drayton, points] anywhere.

“We’ve no idea what that could be. It could be the end of the road, or the other end of West Drayton.” in West [the pick-up could be