R4 Uppingham to Peterborough bus service will not be funded by Rutland County Council

Funding for a bus service that costs more than £3,000 per passenger is being cut by a council.

The R4 between Uppingham and Peterborough is a public service operated by Central Connect, which carries about a dozen children to and from The King’s School in Peterborough.

The council subsidy is £40,000 a year, or more than £3,000 per passenger.

Rutland County Council has no legal duty to fund the service, since attendance at The King’s School is based on parental choice and the pupils are not entitled to free home to school transport.

Coun Christine Wise (Lib Dem - Uppingham), cabinet member for transport at Rutland County Council, said: “All bus services across the county have been reviewed to make sure they’re affordable.

“We have a long-term plan to make bus travel more accessible and sustainable. To achieve this, we have had to take the difficult decision to withdraw funding for some services that are no longer viable.

“A financial commitment of £40,000 each year for a single return journey five days a week is just not sustainable, given the pressure on our budget. Our resources are finite and we need to invest this money in ways that allow more people to access public transport across the whole of Rutland.”

A proposal to consult on the future of the R4 was included in the council’s Transport Network Review, approved by cabinet in November 2024.

Following a consultation, which gave parents and The King’s School an opportunity to comment on proposals to withdraw funding for the R4, Rutland County Council notified Central Connect on Wednesday (June 4) of its decision, advising that funding will be withdrawn at the end of the current academic year.

The R4 leaves Uppingham at 7.15am and stops at Glaston, Morcott, South Luffenham, Duddington, Wansford, Ailsworth, Castor, Longthorpe, Peterborough Bus Station and arrives at The King's School at 8.20am. It starts the return journey at 3.30pm.

There is a direct rail service between Oakham and Peterborough.

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What do you think about the council’s decision? Share your views in the comments.