PARENTS whose children are forced to catch a public bus to school are angry that other pupils in the same villages get a private coach service.

Thirty children catch the public service to Pershore High School from Drakes Broughton and Stoulton, while 70 of their classmates travel by private coach.

Because of roadworks on the flood-damaged B4084 Pershore-Evesham road at Cropthorne, the public service has been arriving late at school every day since the start of the new term.

Corinna Wilcox, whose two teenage sons have to take the public bus, is now demanding a private coach for the rest of the children.

"The bus has been late to school every day since the start of school due to the increased traffic on the A44 up to Pinvin crossroads because of the B4084 - Cropthorne Road - being closed," she said.

"The Elgar coach is able to change its route to transport the children on time via the B4084 to Station Road, Pershore and up to school from there.

"My children and about 30 others are arriving to school flustered and late for classes - not a good start to the day. The Elgar coach enables children to travel in comfort from the village straight to school without stopping.

"They all have a seat with a seat belt (which is the law for coach travel) whereas on the public bus, the children often have to stand up all the way.

"This, in my opinion, is not transporting children in safety."

Mrs Wilcox, of Walcot Lane, Drakes Broughton, accused Worcestershire County Council of discriminating against her children and the others by not giving them the opportunity to "travel to school in comfort and on time".

But county council spokesman Lee Shrimpton said there was no intention to run another contract bus.

"While there is a public service bus, which is far more sustainable, then under council policy we will continue to use this.

"Children were selected for the contract bus on a first come first served basis, but some prefer to travel on the public service."

Mr Shrimpton said in the short term that the council had negotiated with bus company First for the public services to start five minutes earlier from today, to allow for the current congestion problems.