Campaigners are urging people to join them on a protest march through Alsager in a bid to save a well-used school bus service.
The route from Rode Heath to Alsager School will be axed by Cheshire East Council from the start of the new school year in September.
It means that children as young as 11 will now be expected to trek around 2.7-miles each way to school and back every day, in all weathers and at all times of year.
In a letter to parents last month, Cheshire East Council said following safety improvements, the route had been re-assessed and was found to be within “statutory walking distance” for pupils living in the village (two miles for under-eights and three miles for those aged eight and over).
But parent Alicja Roberts, whose child attends the high school, felt the route was still unsafe.
She said: “Children must cross very busy main roads during rush hour. Traffic is fast and crossing points are limited. The path goes along the canal with zero lighting, then through woodland. In winter it’ll be pitch black both ways.
“After the woods there’s another major road with no street lighting. This is dangerous at 8am and 3.30pm.”
With the route estimated to take around an hour to walk, Ms Roberts said children would arrive at school “exhausted” and back home at the end of the day “drained”.
“That’s before homework and after a full school day,” she said.
“Attendance is compulsory, but safe transport has been removed. Many parents can’t do the school run twice a day due to work. We’re worried about safety, especially for girls walking through woods and unlit canal paths in the dark.
“Parents are organizing to fight this.”
A protest march took place on Monday 6th July with the support of Cheshire East Odd Rode Ward councillors Patrick Redstone and Liz Wardlaw.
The group met at the Broughton Arms pub in Rode Heath at 7.40am and walked the 2.7-mile route that children will be expected to take from September.
A spokesperson for Rode Heath Primary School encouraged parents to take part in the march.
They said: “As Rode Heath Primary School children will be directly affected by the removal, I would like to invite children, parents, guardians and family members to join us. The more people that attend, the bigger the impact we can have.
“We can look at arranging transport for children back to school from Alsager if necessary, after the walk.
“I realise that this is a lot to ask, for primary school children to walk three miles to Alsager, but this is the reality for all year six students in September.”
In a joint statement on social media, Couns Redstone and Wardlaw said the removal of the bus service would affect around 90 children.
“This decision is completely unacceptable,” they said.
“Local children should not be expected to walk for over an hour along a route with poor lighting, unsafe crossings and no continuous footpath.
“We are calling on Cheshire East Council to reconsider this decision and use the special circumstances provision in its own transport policy.”
Alsager School first appeared to support the campaign and in a letter to parents, urged them to contact MP Sarah Russell with their concerns.
But parents have said they have been told that pupils who were late as a result of the campaign would face penalties.
One parent posted on social media on Friday: “I have spoken to head of Alsager School Andrea O’Neill this morning who, disappointingly, will not waive late marks for children arriving late for school on 6th July.
“Please bear this in mind if you are attending the protest.
“I have said that I am disappointed that this is the case. But I feel that it is even more important to take a stand, as children arriving late, regardless of the reason, will end up in detention next year.”
Cheshire East Council and Alsager High School were both asked to comment.
