PARENTS on Sheppey were reassured this week about bus arrangements for children attending schools in Sittingbourne.

The Island-based firm Tim's Travel is continuing to run commercial services for up to 200 fare-paying pupils, as well as operating its commuter coaches to London.

Tim Lambkin, who runs the company, said on Tuesday: "We are fulfilling all our commitments to our commuter passengers and schoolchildren, though not necessarily in our own coaches. Negotiations are at a delicate stage and I can say nothing further at this stage."

Confusion had reigned last week - school half term - with parents ringing the Sheerness Times Guardian newspaper for information after it was announced that other operators have taken over the company's Kent County Council school contracts and the KCC-subsidised commercial bus route 341 between Sheerness and Sittingbourne.

Many parents wanted information before renewing season tickets with Tim's Travel.

The number of coaches it operates was cut from 32 to 20 last week after a ruling from the Traffic Commissioners came into effect.

Tim's Travel operations manager John Mills had on Monday confirmed that the firm no longer held KCC contracts.

KCC spokesperson Jackie Marks said that 36 Sheppey children who received KCC subsidised bus passes for travel to Sittingbourne schools were affected by the transfer of contracts to other operators.

Clive Eglinton, managing director of Sittingbourne-based Chalkwell Coaches, said his firm had picked up six of the KCC contracts, including one from Minster to St Thomas' School in Swanstree Avenue, Sittingbourne.

Mr Eglinton said: "It was arranged last week by KCC at very little notice. We have taken them on in the short term. On Monday schools were served by a mish-mash of services provided by a number of operators."

Another Sittingbourne-based transport company, Jaycrest, said it had taken over two other KCC contracts from Tim's Travel.

Operations director John Rouse said one was for the Sheerness to Sittingbourne bus route 341.

"We were asked to step in very quickly and we began running a bus service on this route on Tuesday last week."