A MOTHER who funds a loss-making school bus service in Ryedale is trying to get the word out to other parents.

Anne Hall, of Amotherby, set up the business in September when her son joined Ryedale School, and with a six-year-old daughter in primary school, she said she intends to run the service for another ten years.

Ms Hall runs the business through Fletchers in Malton, which provides her with a 16-seater bus and drivers.

Ms Hall currently pays the bus company and charges her ten travellers £3.50 each way.

She said with only a small number of students travelling, it was expensive, and caused a loss that she had to make up, but she said she could reduce prices if they could get more students to fill a bigger bus.

Ms Hall put a notice in a primary school newsletter but has been prevented from advertising at her son’s secondary school because of fears the new service would see parents chosing to send their children to Ryedale School instead of Malton School.

She said: “Where parents have a choice, they can apply to Ryedale School, but the problem is getting there.”

North Yorkshire County Council currently runs a bus from Slingsby to Ryedale School in Nawton, but it was always oversubscribed, she said.

Richard Crane, head teacher of Ryedale School, said both schools worked together closely and they would not advertise the service because it was a private undertaking and nothing to do with the school.

Rob Williams, head teacher of Malton School, said there were liability issues in advertising private companies.

He said parents had the right to choose which school they sent their children to, but that the four schools in Ryedale had been recognised by the Government for how well they worked together.

He said: “Why should Ryedale School do something that would actively create competition with a school they’re partnering with?”

Ms Hall said: “They say I’m taking children out of their catchment area to Ryedale School, but my students were already enrolled in Ryedale School.

“It may be that I provide parents with the logistics to be able to send their children to Ryedale School in future.”