SOME youngsters face a lengthy route to school after five Shamrock Bus contracts were not taken up by two Bournemouth schools.

Three routes to St Peter’s Schools and two to Avonbourne and Portchester have not been re-let, leaving some youngsters from Merley and Kinson and around north Bournemouth with lengthy journeys to make.

“We’ll have to go on two Yellow Buses and it could take up to one-and-a-half hours,” said one worried teenager, who lives at Kinson.

Shamrock Buses shock collapse happened on July 6, when the company, which had been trading for 10 years, went into liquidation.

Both Yellow Buses and the Go Ahead group which includes Wilts & Dorset and Damory, quickly stepped into the breach to take on school and commercial contracts.

Neil Goddard, service director for children’s strategic and adult learning services, Bournemouth Borough Council, said they had worked closely with other local commercial bus operators to try and secure replacement services.

“Our transport team is working hard to come up with a solution but a decision is unlikely to be reached before the end of the summer term.

Meanwhile pupils can continue to reach the affected schools via alternative routes, which may involve changing bus,” he said.

Both Wilts & Dorset and Yellow Buses agreed to honour all council issued bus passes for youngsters who used Shamrock’s routes.

Borough of Poole had let six contracts covering five schools, which have all been taken over by other companies to run until the end of term.

The schools affected are Parkstone and Poole Grammars, Corfe Hills, Broadstone Middle and Oakdale South Road.

Julian McLaughlin, head of transportation, Borough of Poole said: “We will ensure that all Shamrock school contracts are re-let in time for the school year in September.”