THE future of school transport for Highbridge pupils has been secured following the sudden closure of a Somerset bus company.

County Hall stepped in to provide alternative services after Coombs Travel pulled out of transport contracts for the King Alfred School and three others across Somerset.

But Bakers Dolphin has now stepped in to end uncertainty over future school travel following the shock announcement last month.

The firm, based in Weston-super-Mare, will now provide transport for pupils to the King Alfred School and Lympsham Church of England Academy and Pre-school Denise Hurr, headteacher at The King Alfred School, said: “I am really pleased to hear that the council has been able to appoint another bus company to ensure our students and their families have an efficient way of getting to school.”

Coombs Travel told Somerset County Council it would not be providing school transport because it had gone into administration.

The Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School in Wedmore was also affected.

Max Fletcher, managing director of Bakers Dolphin, said the firm is “delighted” to be taking on the contracts permanently after initially running the services on a temporary basis. He said: “The routes serve three schools, Kings of Wessex in Cheddar, which we already serve, but also The King Alfred School and Lympsham C of E Academy and Pre-School which are both new to us.

“We will be hoping to build ongoing relationships with these schools and wider communities,”

Mr Fletcher said Somerset County Council has confirmed that all eight routes that were previously run by Coombs Travel have now been replaced permanently and said the transport providers have signed contracts to operate the services until 2022. Mr Fletcher also said Bakers Dolphin has employed a number of drivers from Coombs Travel.

He said: “We have been working with authorities to help those schools affected. We have taken on several of Coombs’ drivers and are looking to recruit more.”