COUNTY Hall has slashed spending on a shuttle bus service from the Oak Lane traveller site to Crays Hill Primary School after pupil numbers slumped again.

There is now just one minibus taking children between the site and the school each day, a saving of nearly £10,000 a year to taxpayers.

Since last October’s eviction of the neighbouring illegal Dale Farm site there had been two buses to bring children home in the afternoon after pupil numbers ironically increased after the clearance.

However, numbers have tailed off again, according to the county council, which was unable to release specific attendance levels.

A county council spokesperson said: “Since the start of the new academic year the shuttle bus service serving students travelling from the traveller’s site to Crays Hill Primary School has been reduced by one bus to reflect the reduction in student numbers and demand for the service."