SCHOOL and public transport services in and around Wrexham have been thrown into chaos today following the collapse of a bus company.

It was confirmed last night GHA Coaches, responsible for services on many bus routes around the town, had entered administration “with immediate effect” .

The shock announcement means bus passengers in parts of Wrexham, Denbighshire and Shropshire will have been left stranded this morning.

GHA’s collapse leaves hundreds of staff facing employment worries and the future of dozens of commercial services throughout Wrexham county borough are now in doubt.

The company runs 29 services across the area from to and from the town to and into rural villages such as Penycae, Cefn Mawr, Brymbo and Minera, including Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

About 10 school transport services are also provided by GHA, with Ysgol Rhiwabon last night moving to reassure parents and pupils emergency cover had been arranged, with other companies stepping into the breach.

A spokesman for the school said: “To all parents. Cefn Mawr and Acrefair pupils will be transported this week by E Jones Ltd at the normal stops and times.”

Denbighshire Council also confirmed pupils from the Garth and Trevor areas attending Ysgol Dinas Bran would be taken by E Jones Ltd, and pupils from Chirk by Llew Jones Coaches.

The company has its head office on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate in Ruabon, and is one of the largest independently owned bus and coach operators in the UK.

It operates 230 vehicles from six depots and employed nearly 400 people with additional depots at Ruthin (Denbighshire), Tarvin (Chester), Winsford (Cheshire West), Macclesfield (Cheshire East) and Shrewsbury (Shropshire).

Cllr David A Bithell, Wrexham Council’s lead member for environment and transport, said last night: “There is no doubt there will be some disruption to services, probably for the next few days.”

In a statement the Johnstown councillor said: “The council is very concerned at this news as GHA Coaches employ many people Vauxhall Industrial Estate depot. 

“The authority was made aware at very short notice that no coaches from GHA Coaches would operate on Thursday morning. Our priority is to ensure our statutory services such as home to school transport are maintained and all pupils get to school. 

“We have approached other operators and we are confident we will be able to provide alternative transport via other vehicles such as minibuses or taxis, although at this late stage there may be some gaps or disruption given the late notice. 

“With regard to the regional transport services provided by GHA we are working in partnership with other authorities across the North West and North Wales areas to mitigate the disruption to the service this news will inevitably have in the short term. 

“We are confident other operators will take on some of the routes and as the situation becomes clearer we will look to operate some routes where there are clear gaps in the services operated.” 

A Flintshire Council spokesman added: "Flintshire County Council has received notification that GHA Coaches will cease trading with effect from 13th July 2016 and will not operate any transport services from tomorrow (14th July)

"The council has given priority to school transport services in the first instance and is working with a number of different bus operators to put temporary arrangements in place; however some services may operate later than usual. 

"No public services will be covered immediately, but the council is working on contingency plans to cover local bus services as soon as possible.

"Further details will be published on the Flintshire website as up-to-date information becomes available and the following arrangements are now confirmed for 14th July 2016."

A Denbighshire Council spokesman said the authority is using its contingency plans to try and ensure as many services as possible can operate.

 The company’s demise was also confirmed in a  statement from Shropshire Council.

Flintshire Council confirmed the following services would be in place for school transportation:

School Route School Served  -    Bus Operator (shown in bold)

517BB: Buckley - Bryn-y-Baal - Northop - Connah's Quay - St Richard Gwyn H.S. Flint:  Jones Motors

525BC1: Pontybodkin - Leeswood - Coed Talon - Pontblyddyn - Castell Alun H.S:. P&O Lloyd

525BE: Penyffordd (Millstone): Castell Alun H.S. Hope:   P&O Lloyd

525BF: Padeswood - Penymynydd - Penyffordd - Castell Alun H.S. Hope: P&O Lloyd

525BG: Penyffordd - Castell Alun H.S:Hope: P&O Lloyd

ZP02: Broughton - Bretton - Saltney - Chester Catholic H.S: Townlynx

ZP04: Saltney - Broughton - Hawarden - Drury - Buckley - Mynydd Isa - New Brighton  -                            Mold Alun H.S. / Ysgol Maes Garmon   Townlynx

ZP171: Broughton - St David's High School: Townlynx

ZP08: Hawarden - Sandycroft - Mancot - Pentre  -  John Summers H.S. Queensferry:    Arriva

ZSP1/2: Garden City - Sealand - Queensferry - Aston - Ewloe - Buckley - Mynydd Isa - New Brighton     Mold Alun H.S. / Ysgol Maes Garmon:  Arriva

ZP99: Sandycroft - Mancot - Queensferry - Shotton - Connah's Quay - Northop - Sychdyn                   Mold Alun H.S. / Ysgol Maes Garmon:     Arriva

Z109: Shotton - Connah's Quay - Northop - Sychdyn -  Mold Alun H.S. / Ysgol Maes Garmon:   Stagecoach

ZD14M: Denbigh - Bodfari - Afonwen - Caerwys - Nannerch - Rhydymwyn - Mold Bus Station Mold Alun H.S. / Ysgol Maes Garmon:     Llew Jones

Z14A:  Mold - Bodfari - Denbigh St Brigids / Denbigh H.S: Arriva (will run late)

ZP14:  Cilcain - Rhydymwyn - Mold Campus: Arriva (will run late)

ZC14.17: Caerwys - Lixwm - Mold - Mold Campus: Arriva (will run late)

Z412: DB3 service: Treuddyn - Llanfynydd - Ffrith - Cymau - Abermorddu - Castell Alun H.SHope: P&O Lloyd (will run late)

ZPR141: Higher Kinnerton - Hope, Castell Alun H.S Hope: P&O Lloyd (will run late)