Mums say they are being forced to drive their children to school because a council-funded bus service is so over-subscribed.

Scores of pupils living on a route from Grain to a secondary school in Chatham are unable to board the My9 vehicle because it's full with 39 youngsters on the waiting list.

An alternative on public transport would be to catch a bus from Hoo to Chatham railway station and then change for a service to Holcombe Grammar in Letchworth Avenue.

Others are being driven off the peninsula to Frindsbury to pick up another bus, which one mum has described as "highly unreliable", late or full.

Now parents are urging the council to put on extra single-decker to accommodate their youngsters who live in an area with its growing population.

However, they're out of luck with the local authority saying it's not possible to subsidise another service.

Fitness instructor Michelle Burke said: "Three times last week the public bus has been full and our children have been stranded.

"If they don't get a lift they would have to wait another hour and risk getting late marks at school.

"With all the extra homes, there is not extra bus provision. What was OK five years ago is now very out-of-date and these 39 children need a school bus.

"I understand the buses are subsidised, but I think the budget needs to be revisited."

The mum-of-three has driven son Flynn, 11, to the school or relied on a relative as she prepares her other children for class.

The 45-year-old added: "I have taken my four and six-year-old in their pyjamas and rushed back to get them ready.

"I am lucky I drive and am self-employed. But there are parents who don't drive or who work in London, who can't do this."

Another mum Katarina Horvathova said: "My boy goes to Holcombe Grammar and I have driven him there every day.

"He has his name down on the waiting list for MY9 bus but he is number 21 at the moment.

"That means he will not get on that bus for another year, which is awful."

MY Bus is a pre-booked service partly funded by the council and operated by ASD coaches.

Medway's head of transport and parking, Michael Edwards, said: “It is a very popular service which we heavily subsidise. We understand residents’ frustration, however, it is not currently possible to subsidise another bus on this route.

"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we will look into the possibility of subsidising additional buses in the future.”

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