Update: School bus service cut for Staten Island students

NEW YORK CITY — About 4,600 seventh and eighth grade students citywide, most from Staten Island, will have to find an alternative mode of transportation to school next week. The state Supreme Court has lifted a temporary restraining order that forced the Department of Education to keep providing bus service for these students.

SBF previously reported that city planned to end bus service for these students to save about $1.6 million, but the restraining order forced the city to continue providing buses until a hearing scheduled for Sept. 13.

However, NY1 News reported on Tuesday that the restraining order was lifted and that the city law department released the following statement in response to the ruling: "We feel the court made the correct legal decision."

The court’s decision is concerning to Staten Island Councilman Vincent Ignizio and local parents. They told reporters that the borough has limited mass transit options and many roads have thick traffic and no sidewalks or crosswalks. They say that it would be dangerous for children to walk along those streets, according to NY1 News.

DOE officials said that parents can plead their cases for the city to provide bus service in court on Sept. 13.