Pates school shared taxi from Swindon

[patesschool]

Hi, My son is starting at Pates Grammar School (Sixth Form) from Sept 2018 (next week). We live in Swindon and are looking for parents who wish to join us to book a shared taxi for the school commute trip for their child (pick up from Swindon and travel to Pates at Cheltenham and return). I have asked Denwell Coaches (who do Pates school run) but they are full for this season at present. And I have also contacted some taxi services who do group school runs but they also do not have any spaces to accommodate). So either,

1. We can join to book our own shared taxi on monthly basis or
2. If anyone has info on any other bus/taxi service from Swindon which may have space to accommodate my son then please let me know.

I don't know whether this would help, but my son used to do the same trip to Cheltenham - originally by taxi but after a few months he then used the train from Swindon to Cheltenham Spa.

With a Student Rail Card the journey worked out much much cheaper as the taxi was costing us nearly £400.00 a week!

He enjoyed the train far more than the taxi as it was a nicer journey and he felt a lot more grown up doing it!

Pates is a great school although oddly my son didn't like it and after the first year of 6 form we switched him to King's in Gloucester which he absolutely loved.

Good luck, I hope you manage to sort something.

Dear Carcy,

Thanks for the reply. The train available is at morning at 6.40 AM and so quote a long day for him. We are mainly looking for anyone whose son is also going to Pates from Swindon and would like to join as "Taxi share". The approximate fare for Taxi is about £350/wk so if we have 3-4 kids sharing the taxi then the average fare pp will be about £80-90 pw.

Using the train did mean an early start and he used to arrive at school about 8.00. He then, used the early arrival as study time as well as having breakfast. Even when using a taxi from Swindon, it still mean't a 7.00 pick up.

As he was in 6th form, on certain days depending upon lessons he could take the later train and then be in school for 9.15.

We tried to sort a 'taxi share' but couldn't find anyone else living in the Swindon area, or rather the one person we did find lived entirely the other side so logistically it just didn't really work.

I'd be surprised if you could get a taxi for £350.00 for the week for both outward and return journeys as the travel time each way at that time of day is about 1 1/2 hours due to massive delays on the hill by the Air Balloon pub, so once the taxi knows that these delays are inevitable you'll find the cost soon rises. As mentioned, we were paying £400.00 per week and that was about 2 years ago.

I hope you manage to find a 'taxi share' and that it all works out for you.

Have you enquired about any taxis that do the Tommies route? Pates is probably only 15-20 minutes away from Tommies.

Hello Patesschool, my daughter is looking to start next year September 2019 at Pates Grammer school, she's in the top 150.
We are already looking at how to get her from Swindon (we will be relocating to Swindon area) to Pate's. We have been given Denwell's coach details but we are waiting for admission confirmation next year March before proceeding with travel arrangements.
Did you resolve this? How does your son get to school? I'm so curious since I may be in similar situation next year.