COACH OPERATOR, Edwards Coaches, has given notice on 12 of its School and college routes a council document has revealed.

The company gave just six weeks notice to Pembrokeshire County Council that it would terminate 12 education routes that it operates on January 24. Six of these are to Pembrokeshire College with the other six being to Greenhill School, Ysgol Henry Tudor and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi.

The council has had to urgently find new providers and will even run one of the routes itself.

The Ponypridd based company, which has a depot in Pembroke Dock took over the routes in 2016 after Silcox Motor Coach Company Limited ran into financial difficulties.

When Silcox Coaches went into administration Edwards Coaches took on the operation of around 28 home-to-school transport along with four local bus services, one of which was the Haverfordwest Town Service. 50 former Silcox staff were re-employed by Edwards.

Edwards Coaches now operates the buses to Pembrokeshire College leaving from Lamphey, Tenby, Angle, Pembroke Dock, St Florence and Reberth.

It also runs the service from Angle to Ysgol Henry Tudor, Milton, Pembroke Dock, Whitehill and West Williamston to Greenhill School, Tenby and from Hundleton/Castle Martin to Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi.

A report from the council’s director of community services, Steven Jones, said that 11 of the 12 transport routes had been provisionally filled.

However, the tender has not been awarded for the 210 Angle to Pembrokeshire College as the tender price received was considerably higher than the existing price and was not considered good value for money. This route will be operated in-house by the council.

The routes have been procured as part of a mini -competition exercise under the council’s dynamic purchasing system for the provision of bus and taxi services.

A council spokesman said that there will be no disruption to pupils and students as the routes will remain the same.

All contracts will be funded from the education transport budget. Part-funding is also received from Pembrokeshire College for the six college routes.

The Western Telegraph is awaiting a comment from Edwards Coaches.