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School bus provider ceases trading
02/08/2023
Heyfordian made the surprise announcement on Tuesday after 76 years in business
A coach company which provided school transport to a number of local schools has ceased trading. Heyfordian Travel Limited made the surprise announcement yesterday, citing rising costs, driver shortages and interest charges amongst the reasons they decided to wind up the business.
During the last school year Heyfordian provided the coaches on six routes taking children to Warriner School. They also supplied transport on routes to Bloxham and Cropredy Primary Schools and North Oxfordshire Academy and Wykham Park Academy.
Oxfordshire County Council is now working to make new arrangements for the new school year with parents expecting the travel timetables for September to be published on August 16. Heyfordian were due to operate 13 school transport contracts for the County Council this coming year.
A spokesperson for the County Council told Banbury FM they had already advised the schools impacted by the situation at Heyfordian. They added: “We will be working hard over the school summer break to find alternative transport providers in readiness for the new term. But it is too early to give further details at this stage.”
Aside from their work for local schools, Heyfordian were a popular choice for group travel and were Banbury United’s Official Travel Partner and sponsor for the 2022-23 season.
The family owned company was well-known locally, having been established in 1947. Its transport roots dated back to the 1890’s when a branch of the family were the horse-drawn carriers in the village of Upper Heyford, from where the name Heyfordian originates.
A message on the company website said: “It with the utmost regret that Heyfordian Travel Limited will be cease trading as of today Tuesday 1st August 2023.
“We are so sorry after 76 years of trading that unfortunately it has come to this. We just faced too many headwinds with inflation, rising costs, driver shortages and having massive interest charges on our bounce back loans that it has become impossible to continue.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam