A decision to make pupils from a small village walk to school on a bridleway has been upheld despite an appeal by parents.

A panel from Oxfordshire County Council inspected the route from Childrey to East Challow and claimed it was safe enough to be walked by school children from September.

Oxfordshire County Council said earlier this year it would stop providing a free bus service from the village of Childrey to King Alfred’s School in Wantage from the summer term.

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The council instead designated a bridleway for pupils to walk to school which it said met national guidelines for a safe walking route.

Parents described the route as a ‘pothole ridden dirt track’ and expressed concerns over its use by cars and the danger to school children walking home after dark in winter.

An appeal hearing was held, and an inspection of the route took place on June 12.

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Parents have now been notified that the inspection panel ‘did not find the route to be impassable by foot’.

The inspection found ‘minimal’ interaction between pedestrians and cars, and it was felt that verges were ‘adequate’ for pedestrians to avoid any vehicles that did pass.

It was noted there were ‘large potholes and puddles in places’ and the panel agreed the route ‘was isolated and would be largely unlit after dark.’

Free travel assistance will continue to the end of the academic year.